The Day of Chinese Déjà vu
by trubrew
Summary: Ranma 12 and Groundhog Day x-over. Chapter 6 up! r&r please!
1. A Usual Day Part One revised

Author's Note: This just a bit of fun. Now in .HTML format!! 

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Ranma ½ , apart from the DVDs, but that's all, unfortunately! 

Chapter One: A Usual Day? (Part One) 

"**_RANMA NO BAKA!_**" came the usual cry of Nerima's craziest household. 

Ranma Saotome was punted through the roof of the Tendo Dojo, with an equally usual: 

"_UUUNNNCCCCUUUTTTE TOOOOMBBOOOY!_" and a perfect splash landing into the koi pond. 

Ranma-Chan sat up spluttering in rage. "Better that, than getting poisoned." She huffed getting up and walking back into the house. Ignoring the red-faced Akane Tendo, who still held the now melting plate of blackened bubbling objects. 

"Why does she want me to taste her cooking anyway!" she grumbled throwing off her clothes and diving in the bath, transforming back into his original, and to his mind, more comfortable boy shape. He ran a callused hand over his chest, over hard muscle that had just a second ago been soft skin. 

_What did I do to deserve this?_ he thought, _must be some sort of karma thing_. 

He still felt weird about changing into a girl, he hated it when it happened at the most embarrassing of times, after so long he had learned to live with it, but he hardly used it for gain anymore, unlike some people, he thought as an image of snuggling pig drifted into his mind. 

He dressed back into his red Chinese shirt and black karate trousers, and descended the stairs to finish eating, before his dad ate everything. He glanced once at Akane, her liquid brown eyes blazing at him, under a scowl, as he sat down between her and his father, in panda form. 

The Tendo family were silent. 

Kasumi was eating demurely, as always, her apron draped over her knees, Nabiki was looking over a clipboard and tapping out sums on a calculator, probably adding up the cost to the house repair, or adding up her payments from Kuno for pictures of his Akane and his 'pigtailed goddess', Ranma inwardly shuddered at that. While Soun Tendo was quietly balling about the schools never going to be joined. 

Genma-Panda held up a sign {Tense in here isn't it?} he flipped it around, {Kasumi could you pass the noodles, please?} 

"Of course," said Kasumi. 

"Look I -" 

"You what?" huffed Akane, cutting off Ranma's apology, "hated my cooking, don't like the way dress or look. You _what_, Ranma?" 

Ranma sighed internally, then he looked straight into her brown eyes and said the second hardest thing to one person he truly considered that should have the title of his fiancée, he was not ready to tell her that yet, of course, "I'm sorry, about earlier." 

He stood up, not wanting to look at Akane again for the moment, lunch was at an end and in a few hours they would be going into the heart of Tokyo, for the Chinese New Year, Soun having won tickets in prime place for the show, at the grandest hotel and also the finest rooms, "I 'pose, I better get packing." He left behind the Tendo family, the youngest of which was looking slightly stunned. 

Ranma went through the clothes and other equipment in his backpack. He sorted through the different shirts he had gotten all that time ago, when they had gone to those cursed springs. He lifted out his camping equipment and then came upon a small Chinese box, it had been a gift from one his fleeting friends he had in that long training trip that had taken him over most of the globe and over most of his life. He opened it, to find the object he stored in its silk lining, sealed away from prying eyes. 

A single lock of midnight blue hair tied with a yellow ribbon, his favourite colour he had discovered two years ago. He picked it up and ran his fingers unconsciously through the strands, as he thought over the past two years here at the Tendo Dojo, they had been nothing but chaos from start to end, most of his days were like this, just seemed follow him all around. But at least he would be able to get away from it for a while. 

For a day, he could relax, not having to think about fiancées, rivals or madmen coming to ruin his day. 

The Saotomes and the Tendos were ready to go to the Capitol, all their bags were packed with the two taxis, arranged through Nabiki's contacts, waiting to take them to the bullet train to the centre of Tokyo. 

They arrived in the capital in record time, even with the bustling on the trains and the large amount of human traffic that bustled around them. 

Genma and Ranma (much to their annoyance), again carried their and the Tendos suitcases and bags to the hotel. 

Nabiki bringing more than a months worth of clothing, rather than a weekend worth. 

While the Tendos had brought almost their entire wardrobes, the Saotomes had brought their travelling packs. All of which Ranma was now carrying toward the hotel, after his father had complained about his back, when that brought no sympathy, he then complained how unmanly his son was. 

After a beating that earn Genma a black eye, his glasses strangely not broken during the assault, he then challenged his son to see how much he could carry. 

Therefore, as they turned a final corner, Genma relaxed stretching his arms, while his son strained under the combined weight of carrying two worth of clothing. 

"Humph!" said Akane for the thirtieth time, thinking she could carry just as much and thought Ranma was just showing off, as usual. 

They arrived at the grandest hotel Ranma had ever seen. His jaw met the ground with a smack, as his grey-blue eyes took in the sight before him, Genma had the same look as his son. Nabiki looked only mildly impressed, while Kasumi was happier than usual, even Akane brightened up a bit. Soun was his usual balling self. 

A bell boy came up to them, "Take your bags for you?" he asked. 

"No, thank you," said Kasumi, brightly, "we can handle it." She pointed to Ranma, as Genma snickered, until Kasumi told him to carry some too. 

They were shown into their rooms by the manager, who's smile seemed a little transfixed, it wasn't everyday you meet a family like this. The two adults dressed in gi's, a boy with a long pigtail dressed in red Chinese shirt, a calculating young woman, a slightly older woman acting like a housewife and a older girl dressed like a boy with short midnight hair. 

Their was a short heated argument when it was discovered three rooms had been booked, two with two single beds, and one with a king sized bed. 

"Daddy!" said Akane hotly. 

"Pops!" growled Ranma, cracking his knuckles menacingly. 

So rooms were swapped around, after a moment of tension which the manager quickly defused both Soun and Genma would have the double bed, while Akane and Ranma would share the double single bed room. 

After a subdued dinner in the grand dinning room of the hotel, watching the chef work in front of them, another fight started between the engaged couple, as it was discovered P-Chan had somehow come along for the ride. 

"Yer can't keep him 'ere, Akane," Ranma chided, "P-Brains a pet, and they don' allow'em." 

"Then I'll hide him," P-Chan nodded curtly at that, snuggled in Akane's bosom. 

"Look," Ranma growled, "if they find the little oiker, then we'll get tufted out, yer want that?" 

"Of course not," Akane growled back, her face a shade pinker. "I'm a martial artist, I can hide anything anywhere." 

P-Chan suddenly blushed at this, Ranma growled under his breath, "Little pervert." Then said aloud. "Fine. See I care if a tomboy like you gets thrown out on the streets of Tokyo over a pork-chop." 

"Fine." Said Akane, later as she was unpacking, "and don't look at what I'm unpacking, you baka pervert." 

"I'll leave you to it then," he turned and left the room, slamming door to their room behind him, before making sure he had the spare key to get back in again. _Stupid clumsy tomboy_, he thought, _Can't she see its_ Ryouga, _he has the same bandana for crying out_ loud,_ and she says it looks_ cute _on the pig? Is she nuts?_

Well if today's anything to judge by, tomorrow should be quiet interesting, he could have done without Ryouga here, as long as Akane kept him away from hot water, things shouldn't be too bad, the Chinese New Year was coming, maybe he would make a few resolutions to go with it. 

Ranma walked over to his father's and Akane's father's room, a grin on his face as he knocked. 

"Come," came Genma's curt reply, he was not happy about this, and Ranma could not have cared less about it. 

"So, Mr. Tendo, Pops," he said on entering, "what yer got planned for tomorrow?" 

"Well the main parade isn't 'til 12 o'clock," said Soun, not looking up from the Go board, that he and Ranma's father had set up on the double bed, they were dressed in their usual gis'. "so I thought it would be nice if we went out and saw the sights, the Tokyo tower, the markets, the usual shops." 

"Yes, Tendo," also not looking away from the board, moving a piece to intercept one of Soun's moves, "maybe even pick up a few training manuals and try them out, what do you say, Ra -" 

He got no further due to the foot mark suddenly ingrained on his face, Soun took that moment to stack the odds in his favour. 

"No more crazy training, Pop," Ranma growled, "I just want one day where I don't have to worry about any of my problems, no the fiancées, the rivals and crazy loons kidnapping people." 

"Oh, he cares about my little baby girl! _WAAHH!!_" Soun suddenly started weeping, Genma took this moment to retake the board. 

"You people are _impossible!_" growled Ranma again, glaring. He slammed the door behind him. 

He tried counting to ten to calm himself down. Then he decided twenty. After a further attempt he decided fifty. 

Still with a slight frown on his face, he reached for the door handle of his and Akane's room. He stopped, and listened, nothing was going on inside, that meant that Akane was asleep with that P-_Git_. 

A growl escaped him, he hated Ryouga, if only he turned into a newt, Ranma would have stepped on him by now. 

He opened the door, sneaking through the dark, he found his bed and clicked on the bedside light. He undressed quickly, and shot a glance at Akane. He froze. 

In the half dark on her side of the room, with her midnight black hair framing her sleeping face, it was the cutest vision Ranma had ever seen, a small smile unconscious lifted the side of his lips. Then his eyes ran down to what she held close to her chest. The smile down turned and his scowl was back. As long as it was only him, Ranma could handle tomorrow, just for her. 

He turned in, and then glancing just once at her sleeping face, his smile stayed there as he drifted off in a deep sleep. 

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Ranma was suddenly awoken by a bucket cold water being splashed in his err, now her face. 

"Happy New Year, Son!" Genma stood over him, with a wide grin on his face, which soon changed to a grimace, when Ranma-Chan landed a foot in it. Thus began the usual early morning exercise of the Saotome family. 

"Humph, Honestly!" said Akane, indignantly. 

An hour or so later, when both Ranma-Chan and Genma, who Ranma had splashed back in revenge at some point, were back in their usual forms. The two families went into the grand central city of Tokyo. The hotel was set along the parade route, were they would have the best seats of the whole show, Nabiki's shrewd business skills had made sure of that with the manager of the hotel. 

Ranma couldn't stop rubbernecking, jumping from one shop's window to the next in joy, he came upon Akane's raised eyebrow. Insults formed in his mind, he swallowed them hard, and managed to say, calmly. "What?" 

"Nothing." She breezed passed him, her arm briefly touching his. Sending a slight pleasant thrill up his spine. 

"What is you're problem today, 'Kane?" he asked turning towards her, she stopped. Ranma looked over at the Tendos who were engrossed in their shopping spree. 

"It's been two years Ranma," she said, almost too quietly for him to hear, she turned on her heel, hiding her face, "but - but you have to decide, I know you don't want to hurt peoples feelings. By trying to do that though, you're hurting even more people, especial with all that's happened over the last couple of months." Ranma looked at his honour-bound fiancée, as she faced him again, her brown eyes were shimmering with unwept tears, he really hated it when she cried. It always killed him inside. The defensive insults that he had swallowed, died unsaid. 

He knew what 'people', she was referring to, but he was damned if he was going to let this ruin his day, just for once, he was almost completely alone not to have to think about this fiancée stuff, tomorrow he was going to think over it, not today of all days. 

"Akane, I can't just decide ri -" 

"Isn't that just like the Cat Café back home?" said Kasumi, exclaimed. 

Ranma jumped at the word 'cat', but crashed to the ground when a bicycle landed on his head. 

"Ni ho!" said a purple haired Chinese girl, brightly. 

"S-shampoo!" Ranma exclaimed, rubbing his head, Shampoo, dressed in a short micro-skirt and plunging top, glomped onto him with a small giggle, as Ranma froze. Akane growled loudly, cracking her knuckles. 

"Airen!" shampoo purred, which upped Ranma's fear level. The yowls of cats and whooshing of mallets-o-Akane, taking over his mind. 

"I'll just leave you to it then, shall I?" said Akane, walking away, nose up turned. 

"'Bye, 'bye, violent girl!" Said Shampoo, cheerfully. Ranma was stuck in her vice like grip. 

"Shampoo I love you!" said a voice from behind them, there was a crash then an "_EEEK!_" from Akane. 

"Shampoo's behind you, you _PERVERT!_" **_WHAM!_** Mousse appeared in front of Ranma and Shampoo. 

"Saotome, you thief of the heart," spat Mousse, finding a new pair of glasses, "unhand my fair Shampoo." 

Ranma found himself in a real fix, but to his mind a fix was a thing to get out of, therefore a challenge. When a Saotome is challenged, they get cocky. 

"Really," said Ranma, snidely, "you must be blind, Shampoo doesn't look blonde to me." He managed to get out of Shampoo's vice grip, just as Mousse released a blade attached to chain, which swung at him, as he flipped away. "I have no time for this!" he shouted, as another chain shot at him. "Will you quit it!" 

"Not until Shampoo's heart belongs to me!" Mousse shouted back, "stop running you coward!" 

Ranma grabbed Mousse's chain, as it shot between his legs, where his head had been a second earlier. He yanked on it, bringing Mousse to him face-to-face. 

"I don't want to fight you, Mousse," Ranma growled, with barely contained fury, "all I want is a day, where my problems are left behind, just one stinking day, is that so much to ask for, you - irritating - _Chinese - **DUCK!**_" he pummelled Mousse in the face with his 'Chestnuts from a roasting fire' technique, not waiting for the answer. 

"Stupid Mousse!" Shampoo called after the figure that sailed over the high rise buildings. She turned to Ranma, getting on her bike, and showing a little too much of what was under her short skirt. "Shampoo make something special for Airen later! Be back soon!" with the ring of the bell, she cycled off. 

"Making 'something special for Airen,' eh, Saotome?" said Nabiki, imitating Shampoo's voice and grinning. "Better not let Akane hear about that." Ranma groaned. 

"How much?" he said reaching into his pocket with a sigh. 

"Why, Saotome," said Nabiki, grinning further, "it's as if you care about what my little sister thinks of you." 

"I couldn't care less what that tom -" Came Ranma's automatic response. 

"Are you coming, or are you going to hang around the street all day?" said Akane, cutting into his words, from out of no where. 

"Yeah, alright, alright," Ranma grumbled, he followed Akane like a sheep, as she turned on her heel, annoyed once again. 

After a moment, as Akane was checking through her backpack, as the two caught up with the rest, she said "Where's P-Chan, he was here a minute ago." 

"Dunno, Don't care." Came Ranma's short reply, he turned missing her hurt expression and hurried up to the others, wanting to get away the obvious building argument that was to follow that harsh statement. They spent the rest of the day wandering around the shops, with usual break out of arguments, when it came to a clothes centre. 

"- What would a Built like a brick macho chick like you want with a frilly dress?" 

"Yeah," Nabiki, chipped into his tirade, "that's what Ranma likes to wear." 

"Shuddup, Nabiki!" squawked Ranma, hotly. 

_BLAM!_ The distraction was enough and Akane's mallet landed on him again. 

Soun began sobbing, Genma yelled at Ranma to nicer to his fiancée, Nabiki smirked, Kasumi "Oh, my!"ed and Akane shook with anger, while Ranma had dazed expression on his face, as all of them were politely but firmly asked to leave. 

Just a usual day for the residence of Nerima, and a weird one for the city of Tokyo. 

With Ranma and Genma again landing themselves with everyone's shopping, as they entered the hotel, Akane had brought a load of various clothing items, for which he got another mallet over the head with a loud "_HENTAI!_", as he accidentally dropped one of them spilling the contents over the corridor floor. 

Grumbling under his breath, as he handed over the bags to Akane and lay his few modestly bought items on his bed, he looked over at Akane, who had her back to him. 

Her back was straight and her shoulders tense, as she unpacked the bags and neatly folded the items onto the bed. Ranma sort out his own things and glance over at Akane again, the tension surrounding her was thickening the air in the bedroom, it would be easy to cut it with a katana. 

"Um, Akane," started Ranma, Akane's back tensed even more. Ranma winced, he hated seeing her like this, why was he the only cause of it. 

"What?" she said, Ranma could imagine her face filled with rage and pain, even close to tears. 

He stepped around his bed and put a hand on her shoulder, she flinched, but after a moment, she turned around to look him in the face, unshed tears rimmed her caramel brown eyes. 

"Sorry about earlier," he said, looking at his feet, uncomfortably, a weight seemed to have collapsed on his shoulders. He turned and walked to the door. 

"Ranma." He turned on his heel to look at his fiancée, she was smiling slightly, the weight eased a little. "Thanks." 

Ranma smiled in returned and then left the room. He needed to think. 

Ranma ended up on the roof of the hotel, where he could spy over the entire area of Tokyo, he looked over it with a wide grin on his face. This soon vanished, when he thought over the events of the day. 

He had hoped to avoid contact with any of his fiancée's but it hadn't lasted, Shampoo was here as well as Mousse and that meant Cologne too. It should not have been a problem for him, but Ranma had little or rather no time to just sit and think about things. It's not like I have all the time in the world, he thought sourly. I wish they would leave me - 

"_**RANMA SAOTOME, PREPARE TO DIE!**_" yelled the bandana clad boy, umbrella held out in front of him, ready to impale the bane of his existence. 

Ranma gritted his teeth and forced a cheery grin, "Hey P-Chan, what took ya?" he said, as he caught the point of the umbrella and spun Ryouga 'The Lost Boy' Hibiki onto his head. 

"You've insulted Akane for the last time, Ranma," he threw a punch, Ranma easily dodged. "now you die." 

"Ah, come on," said Ranma, teasingly, "you can do a better insult that that surely." 

"Cowardly bastard!" he roared, ax kicking to Ranma's head which suddenly was not there anymore "fight me properly. 'Fraid you'll lose Akane to me, if you fight for real." 

Ranma's eyes narrowed to slits, as he grabbed Ryouga's incoming gut punch, "_GET - LOST - YOU - BAKA!_" he shouted. 

Throwing a punch that sent Ryouga into a wall, imbedding him there. Ranma glared at him for a moment then left muttering, "Jeez, why won't they leave me alone!" Ryouga passed out on the ground with a THUMP! 

A few hours later, as everyone got ready the party, for the New Year had begun. 

"Well, I'm going to enjoy myself," said Ranma, with a firm expression as the two families headed into the streets. "I still cannot believe I didn't beat Nabiki at that game!" he groused. 

"Oh, come on Ranma," Nabiki chided, "no one likes a sore looser." 

"Nabiki's been playing Monopoly a lot longer than you Ranma," said Akane, with a small smile, "Maybe you'll beat her next time. Still, it could be worse right?" 

Suddenly there was a commotion half way down the street. 

"I wish you hadn't said that, Akane," said Ranma with a sigh, as a bokken was thrust in his face. "Hey, Kuno." 

"Saotome, you cur," said Kuno, "How dare you flaunt you're degenerate ways in front of the noble Akane Tendo." 

"What did he just say?" said Ranma, aside to Akane. 

"I have no idea." Shrugged Akane. 

"I really don't want anything to do with you right now, Kuno," grunted Ranma, avoiding the bokken that was thrust at his head again. "Can't we continue this tomorrow?" 

"Tomorrow is merely another day, wretch," yelled Kuno, "but today I shall see the noble Akane and the sweet pigtailed girl set free from your vile clutches." 

"Jeez," said Ranma, jumping over a vicious thrust to his stomach, "what is it with you people? You don't ever listen to me -" Ranma backed off down an alleyway, to avoid any of the crowd being hit by the stick wielding maniac, "I never forced anything on anyone, ever!" 

"HOHOHOHOHO!" 

"Oh, _GOD,_ no!!!" squeaked Ranma, as a black ribbon wrapped around his torso and pulled him backwards away from Kuno and into the waiting arms of Kodachi Kuno. 

"Ranma-sama!" she declared, brightly squeezing the life out of him, "you have come into my waiting arms once again!" 

"Not willingly!" Ranma almost shrieked at the loony gymnast. 

"SAOTOME!" yelled Kuno. "Unhand my sister!" 

"I ain't got no hands to unhand, moron!" said Ranma, stopping the bokken from calving him in two with his feet. 

"So clever my darling." Grinned Kodachi, as Kuno was shock at his thrust being stopped so easily. 

Kuno dropped his bokken with a growl and started to straggle Ranma. 

"**_GACK!_**" 

"Look when you're watering the plants, will you!" 

_SPLASH!_

"Oh, pigtailed girl, I love you!" said Kuno, his arms suddenly around her waist, as Kodachi switched from her death-grip hug to a death-grip straggle hold. 

"Die, vile witch!" screamed Kodachi. 

"**_GACK!_**" was all Ranma-Chan could say to the Kuno siblings' stupidity. 

It took Ranma-Chan, almost half an hour to escape the Kuno's clutches, her neck was raw from the straggling at Kodachi had dealt out. If it hadn't been for the loosening of the ribbon as Ranma-Chan changed, she would never have slipped out of it and tied Kuno's hands and brought him over her head as she fell, slamming him into Kodachi. She didn't hit girls if he could help it, but sometimes the rules had to be bent a bit. 

She joined the Tendos, getting a reproofing look from Akane and a smirk from Nabiki. 

Ranma-Chan glared at both of them, giving a longer glare to Nabiki. 

"You set that up, didn't you, Nabiki?" she glared at the middle Tendo sister, who just smirked again. 

"Set what up, Saotome," said Nabiki, "I have no idea what you're talking about." 

"I mean the Kuno's," said Ranma-Chan, "how else could they know where I was?" 

"Yeah, sis," said Akane, reproachfully of her sister, "why bring the Kuno's here, they're only a nuisance." 

"So," said Nabiki, "looks like the trip is going a little smoother." 

"What's that suppose to mean?" said Akane, glaring. 

"You sticking up for you're fiancée," smirked Nabiki again, "quiet a change, been up to something we don't know about?" 

"Nabiki!" said Akane, hotly. When she saw Ranma-Chan's face turn red she added, with a mallet of course, "YOU PERVERT!" as Ranma-Chan went flying she felt something against her leg. "Oh, there you are P-Chan, I've been so worried!" the pig sniggered. 

Ranma-Chan managed somehow to land head first into a pot of boiling water, with a shriek that turned to a guttural yell, Ranma jumped up and ran out the door of the soup kitchen, his head steaming all the way. 

The festival was on its way. Party streamers were in the air and the dragons danced their way down the street with the various floats following on behind them. the procession lasted a whole three hours, as it became dark and the crowd moved in waves, with a push and shove of several people and the cry of "_PERVERT!_" or "_HENTAI!_" and "**FLAT-CHESTED!**" or "**TOMBOY!**", followed by the usual _BAM!_ or _WAP!_, the fireworks started and all that could be heard was the small explosions of light and the delight of the crowd. 

Night took the city of Tokyo. 

Chinese lights lined the streets, as the two families walked silently through the streets. Even though this was meant to be a dangerous city to live in, or even to breathe in, Ranma could not help but feel secure here. He did not know where the feeling came from, it was just there. 

He sneaked a look at Akane, as she walked beside him. He let out a little sigh. Of all the things he wished, he wished they could get along, not how their father's wished they would, but simply as friends that would be enough for him. If only they - 

"Hey, Ranchan! Over here!" half of Ranma smiled, while the other half grimaced. 

Ukyou was here, his best friend, but also another fiancée thanks to his old man. 

"Hey, Ucchan." Turning to her with a smile. 

Ukyou stood in her usual boyish clothing, a white ribbon in her hair tying back and away from the hot tray around her neck as she dished out okonomiyaki ten to the dozen at the crowd, her hands blurring, but her attention was fixed with a smile on Ranma. 

Ranma internally grimaced, so Ukyou was here to, probably Nabiki again. Ukyou was the most persistent of his fiancées, believing that in the end she would get her man. Who did she think she was a Mountie or something? 

"Hungry, hon?" she asked, slopping batter expertly onto the hotplate in front of her. 

"Nah, I -" his stomach growled, betraying him, heard even over the noise of the partying crowd. 

"One Ranma special coming up," grinned Ukyou. 

"Spatula Girl! What you do here?" chirped Shampoo, latching onto Ranma, the okonomiyaki half stuck in his mouth where it was flung by Ukyou. 

"Hey! Leggo of my Ranchan will ya!" yelled Ukyou, tray on the floor and giant spatula in hand. 

"He not your Ranchan!" Shampoo screamed, hurting Ranma's ears. "He my Airen!" 

"He outta here." Ranma supplied, slipping from Shampoo's distracted grip, as the two girls square off. 

Ranma tumbled into the crowd, as the screaming match continued behind him. 

Avoiding being seen by both of the Kunos' as Kuno was hacking at a straw donkey with shouts of "DIE, SAOTOME! DIE!" and Kodachi throwing out black rose petals at various people with "HOHOHOHOH! RANMA-SAMA, WHERE ARE YOU? OHOHOHOHOHOH!" 

While walking straight past Mousse who was hugging a complete stranger and confessing his unconditional love to them. 

He lost himself in amongst the various stalls and crowds that flitted around the area, enjoying the night festivities unlike him, of course. Ranma passed by two robed figures that seemed to be surrounded by fairies, but on a closer inspection, closer then the crowd could see, they were actually small light bulbs on apparatus strapped to the robed figures bodies. 

It was there that he ran into someone he had not expected to see out so late. 

"Oh, hi ya, Akane," he said with a half smile, as he saw her brown eyes lit up with the 'fairy' lights. "thought yer'd be with the others." 

"I think there around somewhere," she said, looking around, she seemed to be avoiding his eye, "so what happened to you're girls?" she cocked an eyebrow. 

Ranma winced, he knew that look, he could already visualise the mallet behind her back. 

"Dunno," he said, "err, around somewhere. As for me, I'm gonna go back to the hotel," his face suddenly soured, "unless Nabiki told where we were staying. 

"I wouldn't put it pass her," said Akane, with a rather grim smile, "Are sure you don't want to come and see the rest of the party?" she asked. 

"Nah," said Ranma, despondently looking at his feet, "I'd only run into someone I don't want to talk too, I'll see you tomorrow, Akane." 

"Well all right." Said Akane, as Ranma walked off. 

Ranma was in two minds, either he could go with Akane and try and avoid all of them and enjoy a few minutes with her, or he'd run into all of them and by morning Akane would be madder than ever at him. 

"Akane?" 

Akane looked up as he turned, "Yes?" 

"Err, nothing," said Ranma, finally, putting his hand behind his head in embarrassment, "Good night." 

"Good night, Ranma." Said Akane and he left. 

"Well," said Ranma to himself, as he got ready for bed back in the hotel, "at least she won't be angry at me in the morning." 

After much tossing and turning. Ranma finally fell asleep, as the clock ticked on passed midnight. 

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Ranma was suddenly awoken by a bucket cold water being splashed in his err, now her face. 

"Happy New Year, Son!" Genma stood over him, with a wide grin on his face, which soon changed to a grimace, when Ranma-Chan landed a foot in it... 

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Author's Original Note: Nani? Didn't this day happen before. I'll have the next chapter up soon, but it shouldn't be as long as this one... I don't think anyway. 

Author's Revision Note (24/5/03): OK, It's been a while since my last update, sorry about that, a lot to do. However, you'll notice the changes I've made to some of the bits of the story, to make one or two points clearer, if they aren't tell me. Also I am trying it out in .HTML format, just to see if I get better results, than I did with using a .DOC. Please re-read (or if this is the first time you've seen this, read) and re-review (or review), and tell me what you think, other chapters will be updated soon(ish). 

Ja ne! 


	2. A Usual Day NANI AGAIN! Part Two revised

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Ranma ½ , apart from the DVDs, but that's all, unfortunately! 

Re-claimer (or whatever it's called): 'The Three' are solely my own characters, just to add a bit of life to my idea. 

Chapter One: A Usual Day? (NANI?) (Part Two) 

Ranma was suddenly awoken by a bucket of cold water being splashed in his err, now her face. 

"Happy New Year, Son!" Genma stood over him, with a wide grin on his face, which soon changed to a grimace, when Ranma-Chan landed a foot in it. Thus began the usual early morning exercise of the Saotome family. 

"Hmph, Honestly!" said Akane, indignantly. Ranma-Chan could not help feeling, as he dodged the furious blows from his father, this was all too familiar. 

"Say, Pop," Ranma-Chan grinned, as he dodged yet another punch, "you're getting sloppy, this is the same stuff you pulled on me yesterday!" as Ranma-Chan, a thought suddenly occurred to him. Had his father said what he thought he said? he must have imagined it. 

Genma threw a mid-air kick, which Ranma-Chan easily jumped, but the punch from the side glanced off her nose landing her on the floor. As her father came flying past, Ranma-Chan landed a kick in the small of his back which flung him towards the door. 

Which opened as a maid came in holding a glass jug of ice water. 

Genma's head shattering it as he rolled past, the maid ran shrieking from the room, as the soggy panda sat up and shook the tiny glass shards from its fur. Ranma-Chan's former father turned, holding up a sign. 

{That hurt, boy!} 

"That's what you get for waking me up early." Said Ranma-Chan, stalking off to the bathroom to change. 

"Hmph!" said Akane, again, kicking out the panda to get changed herself. 

The Tendos and Saotomes had breakfast in the king-sized bedroom, Ranma sat in his usual place on the floor, between his father and Akane, who gave him a sour look, before turning back to her meal. 

_What's wrong with her?_ Thought Ranma, dumbly. It could be a million things, last night she had seemed almost friendly even by Akane standards. Now it was all back to square one again. 

He would never in a million or even in a billion years figure her out. 

"What's up today, 'Kane?" he asked, he kept his tone light, trying to strain any and all humour out of it. 

"I don't want to talk about it, if you don't remember, baka." Said Akane, simply. 

Like Ranma, Akane knew how to push buttons. With slightly bent chopsticks Ranma went back to his meal, mentally force feeding a strapped down Akane her various home cooked disasters. 

Over Soun's sudden, but not unexpected, bawling, Genma sighed at his son's idiocy and said, "Well, let's go to down town and do some shopping." 

"Shopping?" said Ranma, dumbfounded, "didn't we do that yesterday?" 

"Yesterday?" said Akane, finishing her meal and geting up, "what do you mean? We only got here yesterday." 

"Huh?" said Ranma, with all the intelligence he could muster, _got here yesterday?_ He thought, _was I having a weird dream, or did I just wake up from one?_

He followed Akane to their room, well not their room, but the room they shared, Ranma quickly thought. Even thinking these kinds of things were liable to get him malletted. 

P-Chan was asleep on Akane's bed in a patch of sun, as Ranma moved toward his bedside table, to where had had stored one or two of his items from yesterday. He opened the small cupboard to find it bare! 

He went to his wardrobe, which was bare except for the few shirts and items he owned previously, there was not a sign of any of the other stuff he had brought. 

Finally he checked his backpack and pulled out his father's old wallet, which had been given to him on his tenth birthday after they had stowed away on a ship to Russia. 

The wad of cash was all there, as though he had not spent a single yen of it. 

_OK, this is officially weird,_ thought Ranma, he turned to Akane. 

"Er, Akane," he said, knowing what he was about to say would be the stupidest thing in the world. "What's the day is today?" 

Akane frowned, "You know what day it is, Ranma," said Akane, picking up her pig, who was still in la-la land, "it's the Chinese New Year." 

She looked at him for a second, Ranma squirmed slightly, "Are you OK?" she asked, concern in her voice. 

"I'm fine," said Ranma, sounding off hand, "just had a strange dream is all. It's nothing." 

As the two families went shopping in the slightly expensive areas of Tokyo City, Ranma took only mild interest in the shopping, picking up a few items that he remembered getting in his possible dream from yesterday. 

"Nabiki," said Ranma, turning to the middle eldest Tendo, as they went on to another shop, Ranma avoiding making comments on Akane's choice of shopping. "You ever get déjà vu?" 

"300 yen," said Nabiki, absent mindedly, flicking through a magazine on modern accounting. 

"I said déjà vu, not the usual stuff." Said Ranma, with a sigh. 

He turned and came upon Akane's raised eyebrow, as she walked behind them. Insults formed in his mind, he swallowed them hard, and managed to say, calmly. "Yeah?" 

"Nothing." She breezed passed him, her arm briefly touching his. Sending a slight pleasant thrill up his spine. 

"What's you're problem, 'Kane?" he asked turning towards her, she stopped. Ranma looked over at the Tendos and his father, who were engrossed in their shopping spree, so would not intrude on them. 

"It's been two years Ranma," she said, almost too quietly for him to hear, she turned on her heel, "I sorry to sound harsh, but - but you have to decide, I know you don't want to hurt peoples feelings. By trying to do that though, you're hurting even more people." Ranma looked at his honour-bound fiancée, feeling the déjà vu again, her brown eyes were shimmering with unwept tears, he hated it this. 

_I had dreaming, that's it, that's all it could be, I had just this is the situation,_ He thought to himself. 

He knew what this speech was about, but he was damned if he was going to let this ruin his day, if earlier had been a dream, just for today, he hoped, he would not to have to think about this fiancée stuff, tomorrow would be the day. 

He sighed, "Akane, I can't just de -" 

"Isn't that just like the Cat Café back home?" said Kasumi, exclaimed, from ahead of them. 

Ranma jumped at the word 'cat', but crashed to the ground when a bicycle landed on his head. 

"Ni ho!" said a purple haired Chinese girl, brightly. 

"Shampoo." Ranma said, with a slightly annoyed overtone, rubbing his head, Shampoo was dressed in a short micro-skirt and plunging top, glomped onto him with a small giggle, as Ranma froze, completely like his dream. Also like his dream, Akane growled loudly, cracking her knuckles. 

"Airen!" shampoo purred, which upped Ranma's fear level. The yowls of cats and whooshing of mallets-o-Akane, taking over his mind, all thoughts of déjà vu dropped out. 

"I'll just leave you to it then, shall I?" said Akane, walking away, nose up turned. 

"Akane, wait!" Ranma tried to protest, stuck in a vice like hug. 

"'Bye, 'bye, violent girl!" Said Shampoo, cheerfully. Ranma was 

"Shampoo, I love you!" said a voice from behind them, there was a crash then an "_EEEK!_" from Akane. 

"Shampoo's _behind_ you, you _**PERVERT**_!" _WHAM!_ Mousse appeared in front of Ranma and Shampoo. 

"Hey, Mousse." Said Ranma, lightly. 

"Saotome, you thief of the heart," spat Mousse, finding a new pair of glasses, "unhand my fair Sham-" _BLAM!_

Mousse shot up in the air, Ranma had ducked out of Shampoo's grip and thrust an upper cut into the boy's face, anger taking him over in a rush. 

"Stupid Mousse!" Shampoo called after the figure that sailed over the high rise buildings. She turned to Ranma, getting on her bike, and showing a little too much of what was under her short skirt. "Shampoo make something special for Airen later! Be back soon!" with the ring of the bell, she cycled off. 

"Making 'something special for Airen,' eh, Saotome?" said Nabiki, imitating Shampoo's voice and grinning. "Better not let Akane hear about that." Ranma twitched. 

"How much?" he said reaching into his pocket with a sigh. 

"Why, Saotome," said Nabiki, grinning further, "it's as if you care about what my little sister thinks of you." 

"Ah, shuddup, Nab -" said Ranma sourly. 

"Are you coming, or are you going to hang around the street all day?" said Akane, cutting into his words, from out of no where. 

"Yeah, alright, alright," Ranma grumbled, he followed Akane like a sheep, as she turned on her heel, annoyed once again. 

After a moment, as Akane was checking through her backpack, as the two caught up with the rest, she said "Where's P-Chan, he was here a minute ago." 

"Couldn't care less, Akane." Ranma said, sounding bored, he turned away missing her hurt expression and hurried up to the others, wanting to get away not just the obvious building argument that was to follow that harsh statement, but also everything else, it was all to familiar, the déjà vu was getting stronger. 

They spent the rest of the day wandering around the shops, with usual break out of arguments, when it came to a clothes centre. 

Ranma didn't comment when Akane choose a frilly dress to wear to the tonight's party. When she tried it on, however she looked straight at him, as though she was looking for his approval. 

"Er, it looks nice on yer," said Ranma, lamely, 

"Yeah," said Nabiki, with a broad smirk, "Bet he thinks it'll look nicer on him!" 

"Hey, I never said anything like th -" 

_BLAM!_ The distraction was enough and Akane's mallet landed on him again. 

Soun began sobbing, Genma yelled at Ranma to nicer to his fiancée, Nabiki smirked, Kasumi "Oh, my!"ed and Akane shook with anger, while Ranma had a dazed expression on his face, as all of them were politely but firmly asked to leave. 

_Yes, it was not just déjà vu now_, something was definitely up. 

Ranma and Genma were landed with everyone's various bits of shopping, went back to the hotel. 

Ranma ending up carrying Akane's various clothing items. 

As they walked up the corridor and the two were arguing again, Ranma just saw a grey blur out of the corner of his eye, as it passed right under him, causing him to loose his footing and send the bags flying up into the air, the contents littering the corridor. 

_Whups!_ Thought Ranma. 

"**HENTAI!**" said Akane, landing a mallet on the back of his head, and pulling a pair of panties from her head. 

Getting back to their room, Ranma apologised, cutting the tension between them and then walked to the door. 

"Ranma," He turned on his heel to look at his fiancée, she was smiling slightly, the weight eased a little. "Thanks." 

Ranma smiled in returned and then left the room. He needed to think. 

Ranma ended up on the roof of the hotel, where he could spy over the entire area of Tokyo, even though he had seen this scene before it was still a wonderful sight. 

He had been so sure this was a dream, but the continual mallettings he was getting were proving it otherwise. Question was, why was he repeating the day, why this day of all days? 

He could think of better days to repeat, days when and Akane had gotten along, or at least he had been malletted so much. 

If the day's were truly repeating then - 

"_**RANMA SAOTOME, PREPARE TO DIE!**_" yelled the bandana clad boy, umbrella held out in front of him, ready to impale the bane of his existence. 

- Right on cue! 

Ranma gritted his teeth, "Hey P-Chan, what took ya?" he said, as he caught the point of the umbrella and spun Ryouga 'The Lost Boy' Hibiki onto his head. 

"You've insulted Akane for the last time, Ranma," he threw a punch, Ranma easily dodged. "now you die." 

"You can do a better insult that that surely." Said Ranma, shortly. 

"Cowardly bastard!" he roared, ax kicking to Ranma's head which suddenly was not there anymore, "fight me properly. 'Fraid you'll lose Akane to me, if you fight for real." 

Ranma's eyes narrowed to slits, as he grabbed Ryouga's incoming gut punch, "_LEAVE - ME - ALONE!_" he shouted. 

Throwing a punch that sent Ryouga into a wall, imbedding him there. Ranma glared at him for a moment then left muttering, "Jeez, stupid pig-boy!" Ryouga passed out on the ground with a THUMP! 

A few hours later, as everyone got ready the party, for the New Year had begun. 

"Well, I'm going to enjoy myself," said Ranma, with a firm expression as the two families headed into the streets. "I still cannot believe I didn't beat Nabiki at that game!" he groused. 

"Oh, come on Ranma," Nabiki chided, "no one likes a sore looser." 

"Nabiki's been playing Monopoly a lot longer than you Ranma," said Akane, with a small smile, "Maybe you'll beat her next time. Still, it could be worse right?" 

The hateful déjà vu reared its head, as suddenly there was a commotion half way down the street. 

"Thanks a bundle, 'Kane," said Ranma with a sigh, grabbing the bokken was thrust in his face. "Hey there, Kuno." 

"Saotome, you cur," said Kuno, "How dare you flaunt you're degenerate ways in front of the noble Akane Tendo." 

"What did he just say?" said Akane, to Nabiki. 

Nabiki just shrugged getting out her camera. 

"I really don't want anything to do with you right now, Kuno," grunted Ranma, knocking the bokken off course from his head again. "Can't we continue this tomorrow?" 

"Tomorrow is merely another day, wretch," yelled Kuno, "but today I shall see the noble Akane and the sweet pigtailed girl set free from your vile clutches." 

"Jeez," said Ranma, jumping over a vicious thrust to his stomach, "what is it with you people? -" Ranma backed off down an alleyway, to avoid any of the crowd being hit by the stick wielding maniac, "I never forced anything on anyone, ever, got it!" 

"_HOHOHOHOHO!_" 

"Oh, _great!_" sighed Ranma, as a black ribbon wrapped around his legs, as he tried to jump over it and pulled him backwards away from Kuno and into the waiting arms of Kodachi Kuno. 

"Ranma-sama!" she declared, brightly squeezing the life out of him, "you have come into my waiting arms once again!" 

"Not willingly!" Ranma almost shrieked at the loony gymnast. 

"_SAOTOME!_" yelled Kuno. "_Unhand my sister!_" 

"I ain't touching her, moron!" said Ranma, stopping the bokken from calving him in two with his hands. 

"Clever catch, my darling." Grinned Kodachi, as Kuno was shocked at his thrust being stopped so easily. 

Kuno dropped his bokken with a growl and started to straggle Ranma. 

"_**GACK!**_" 

"Look when you're watering the plants, will you!" 

_SPLASH!_

"Oh, pigtailed girl, I love you!" said Kuno, his arms suddenly around her waist, as Kodachi switched from her death-grip hug to a death-grip straggle hold. 

"Die, vile witch!" screamed Kodachi. 

"_**GACK!**_" was all Ranma-Chan could say to the Kuno siblings' stupidity. 

It took Ranma-Chan, almost half an hour to escape the Kunos clutches, her neck was raw from the straggling at Kodachi had dealt out. If it hadn't been for the loosening of the ribbon as Ranma-Chan changed, she would never have slipped out of it and tied Kuno's hands and brought him over her head as she fell, slamming him into Kodachi. She didn't hit girls if he could help it, but sometimes the rules had to be bent a bit. 

She joined the Tendos, getting a reproofing look from Akane and a smirk from Nabiki. 

Ranma-Chan glared at both of them, giving a longer glare to Nabiki. 

"You set that up, didn't you, Nabiki." It wasn't a question, she glared at the middle Tendo sister, who just smirked again. 

"Set what up, Saotome?" said Nabiki, "I have no idea what you're talking about." 

"The Kunos," said Ranma-Chan, simply, "how else could they know where I was, hmm?" 

"Yeah, sis," said Akane, reproachfully of her sister, "why bring the Kuno's here, they're only a nuisance." 

"So," said Nabiki, with a wide smirk, "looks like the trip is going a little smoother." 

"What's that suppose to mean?" said Akane, glaring. 

"You sticking up for you're fiancé," smirked Nabiki again, "quiet a change, been up to something we don't know about?" 

"Nabiki!" said Akane, hotly. She looked over Ranma-Chan's face she added, with a mallet of course, "_YOU PERVERT!_" as Ranma-Chan went flying she felt something against her leg. "Oh, there you are P-Chan, I've been so worried!" the pig sniggered. 

Ranma-Chan managed somehow to land head first into a pot of boiling water, with a shriek that turned to a guttural yell of "**_WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?!_**" Ranma jumped up and ran out the door of the soup kitchen, his head steaming all the way. 

The festival was on its way. Party streamers were in the air and the dragons danced their way down the street with the various floats following on behind them. the procession lasted a whole three hours, as it became dark and the crowd moved in waves, with a push and shove of several people and the cry of "**PERVERT!**" or "**HENTAI!**" and "_FLAT-CHESTED!_" or "_TOMBOY!_", followed by the usual **BAM!** or _WAP!_, the fireworks started and all that could be heard was the small explosions of light and the delight of the crowd. 

Night took the city of Tokyo. 

Chinese lights lined the streets, as the two families walked silently through the streets. Even though this was meant to be a dangerous city to live in, or even to breathe in, Ranma could not help but feel secure here. He did not know where the feeling came from, it was just there. 

Ranma was totally sure of it now, it was exactly the same, this was no dream, it was a bad nightmare - 

"Hey, Ranchan! Over here!" Yup, a nightmare! 

"Hey, Ucchan." He answered, despondently. 

Ukyou put on her cutest looking smile, despite his attitude. 

Ranma grimaced, he was going to get Nabiki for this, whether tomorrow turned out to be tomorrow or not. 

"Hungry, hon?" she asked, slopping batter expertly onto the hotplate in front of her. 

"Nah, I -" his stomach growled, betraying him, heard even over the noise of the partying crowd. 

"One Ranma special coming up," grinned Ukyou. 

Ranma groaned as he felt a weight on his arm. 

"Spatula Girl! What you do here?" chirped Shampoo, latching onto Ranma, the okonomiyaki half stuck in his mouth where it was flung by Ukyou. 

"Hey! Leggo of my Ranchan will ya!" yelled Ukyou, tray on the floor and giant spatula in hand. 

"He not your Ranchan!" Shampoo screamed, hurting Ranma's ears. "He my Airen!" 

"He outta here." Ranma supplied, slipping from Shampoo's distracted grip, as the two girls square off. 

Ranma tumbled into the crowd, as the screaming match continued behind him, he wanted a way out of this situation. 

No that was wrong, he needed a way out of this situation. 

Avoiding being seen by both of the Kunos' as Kuno was hacking at a straw donkey with shouts of "_DIE, SAOTOME! DIE!_" and Kodachi throwing out black rose petals and whirling her ribbon like a lasso at various people with "_HOHOHOHOH!_ **RANMA-SAMA, WHERE ARE YOU?**_ OHOHOHOHOHOH!_" 

While walking straight past Mousse who was hugging a complete stranger and confessing his unconditional love to them. 

Ranma took a second look as he thought he saw Dr. Tofu, but he was moving to fast in a different direction. 

He was so distracted looking for Nerima's chiropractor that he bumped into two men. 

"Watch where your going, young man!" said one of them, they were dressed in robes of dark crimson, both in their late fifties, with greying brown hair. One wore glasses with a moustache, the other had a rather ragged beard, he was sure he had seen them before. 

"Watch were I'm going?" said Ranma, his annoyance building with every word, who did these old guys think they were? 

"As I recall, boy," said the spectacled one, "you ran into the back of us." 

"Oh, yeah," said Ranma, his hands in fists, "you wanna fight about it." 

"Whoa! Little hot-head, eh?" grinned the bearded one. 

"Reminds me of someone," the other grinned at his friend, "wonder who?" 

"Very funny, Charlie," he growled back, knuckles cracking. He turned back to Ranma, "anyway, we forgive you for that, seeing as you're only young and all." 

"Just don't do it again. Oh, this Harry by the way." Said Charlie, gesturing to his friend. 

"You're English?" asked Ranma, noting their features and their accents. 

"Great observation there, kid," said Harry, smiling, "say, you look a little down, anything we can help you with?" 

"You help me?" said Ranma, incredulously. 

"Yeah." Said the two men together. 

"Who are you guys?" 

"Us?" they said together, grinning and then striking a pose. 

"We are the Priests of the Given Light, Guardians of the Sacred Pipe, Defenders of the Unfallen Wall and Moppers of the Floor of Pain," they flourished, "We are the Three, er - The Two!!" 

Ranma gaped at two middle aged men, then rolled on the floor in fits of laugher. 

"Well, OK, OK," sighed Harry, "maybe the delivery is a little off." 

"Oh, come on," said Charlie, a little disgruntled, "we worked all summer on that! You could be at least be little entertained." 

Ranma's laugher died down enough from him to sit up and wiped the tears from his eyes, "I was entertained," he said, honestly, suppressing any more giggles. "_really_ entertained." 

"Ah, it's no good without Gary," said Charlie, grumpily, "if only he hadn't had that accident." 

"What accident?" asked Ranma, curious. 

"Oh, just some kid," said Harry, "waving an umbrella and screaming about revenge or something or other. Hit Gary on the head, when we weren't looking, he tripped and tumbled down some steps, broke both this legs." 

"Yeah," said Charlie, scowling, "if I ever catch that little punk, I'll stew him into chops!" 

Ranma almost choked to stop himself from laughing again, he looked at the time, it was very late. 

"Look I gotta go," said Ranma, getting and up and turning to leave. 

"OK, kid," said Harry, "Any time you wanna talk, we'll be around." He called after the retreating boy. 

Once again avoiding all those people, he found Akane looking over the street vendor's offerings. 

"Hey, Akane," said Ranma, trying to sound light. 

"Hello," she said, without turning or looking up. 

"Are you - are you going to the party later?" he asked. 

"Maybe," said Akane, looking at him, "are you?" 

"Er, no," his confidence failing him, under her stare, "I just thought you would like to know, that I wasn't just in case anyone else asked, is all." 

"Are sure you don't want to come?" asked Akane, as Ranma turned from her. 

"Nah," said Ranma, not turning around, "I'd only run into someone I don't want to talk too or do something stupid, I'll see you tomorrow, Akane." If tomorrow even comes, he added to himself. 

"All right." Said Akane, sadly watching him go. 

"Good night, Akane," he said, and left. 

"Good night, Ranma." Said Akane, after him. 

Ranma lay on his bed, thinking what could happen tomorrow, if it ever came of course. 

Then, as he drifted to sleep, he wondered what he would do if tomorrow never came... 

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Ranma was suddenly awoken by a of bucket cold water being splashed in his err, now her face. 

"Happy Ne -" 

"Not today, Pops," grinned Ranma-Chan... 

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Next Chapter: It's Repeating for Pete sake! 

Author's Note: Nani? Didn't this day happen before. I'll have the next chapter up soon, ... hang on, didn't I say that before!?! ^_^ Thanks for the reviews, keep them coming, I still can not figure out what to call this! 

PS. (TerraEpon) I read the 'Right moments' fic, it was good, but it was basically Ranma learning new moves, this fic however is slightly different and just for fun, as long as no one has a problem with my humour. ^_^ 

Author's New Note (28/6/03): I've revised only small parts of this, changing one or two pieces as I went, so there are no big changes. I am still in the process of writing the next chapters of this and also revising chapter two of Pull Yourself Together! so keep reviewing and tell me how I'm doing. 

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	3. It's Repeating for Pete's Sake! revised

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Ranma ½ , apart from the DVDs, but that's all, unfortunately! 

Chapter Two: It's Repeating, for Pete's sake! 

Akane Tendo was suddenly awoken by the sound of a bucket of cold water being splashed down on Ranma's bed. 

"Happy Ne -" started Genma's bellow, 

"Not today, Pops," Grinned Ranma-Chan, throwing a punch to the gut and then sweeping a leg under the older man. 

Akane pouted, and said the only thing that could express her outrage at being woken up in such a way. 

"Hmph, Honestly!" P-Chan snorted in agreement. 

As the two family martial artists took the fight outside, Akane got up and quickly dressed. 

She picked up P-Chan who was blushing furiously for some reason she could not fathom and took her seat at the low breakfast table next to Kasumi, two empty seats to her right, which were quickly occupied by Genma and Ranma. 

Breakfast began, Akane had to almost physically stop herself shouting at Ranma to stop being a hog and eat like a normal person. 

After his first bowl, instead of grabbing more, Ranma turned her. Akane felt P-Chan tense in her lap. 

"Akane," he said, "What are you up to later?" 

Akane felt the air fill with tension, as the entire Tendo family looked up at the forcefully engaged couple. 

Ranma turns and glares at them all. 

"What?" he manages to say in deadpan voice, but Akane could see his hands bunching into fists, under the table. 

After a brief moment of tense silence, the Tendo's went back to eating. 

Ranma takes his second bowl, Akane looks at Ranma, then finishes her only quarter eaten breakfast. 

After breakfast, as Akane was getting ready to set off from their shopping trip, which she was looking forward too, after all it wasn't everyday that you got to travel to the big city and go to the best shopping centres in the world. (Women and shopping, eh? ^_-) 

Ranma came into their shared room, looking slightly apprehensive. 

Akane did not know what he had to be worried about, stupid baka probably thought he would get malletted for saying anything. Well if it was anything perverted then that's what he should be expecting. 

"Akane," he said, slowly, stepping forward, Akane's bed between him and her. "I er, - I need your help with something." 

"What?" she looked at him, her hands turned to tight fists, he was asking her for something, she was sure he was going to say something stupid, she was itching to use her mallet again, for the way he treated her yesterday, the JERK! 

"I want you to come with me," he said, slowly, "I need to do something and I need you with me." 

Akane frowned, suspicions racing through her mind, What was he up to? She thought. 

"Oh, but what about the shopping trip?" she said, sounding annoyed at him, not really wanting to go, but she had to know how important this was to him. 

"Please, Akane," he said, in a soft voice, "I need your help." 

"Okay," she said, curiosity and a slight worry, overriding her instant anger. "Where are we going?" 

Ranma smiled, his first genuine smile today. "That is a secret." 

"THE CAT CAFÉ!!" Akane shrieked, as they walked along the street, a little later. "How can one be here!?!" 

She turned on Ranma, anger flaring up within her, how _dare_ he bring her here of all places, and how did he know that would be here? She would not be at all surprised if he had sneaked off here last night to see Shampoo. The dirty _pervert_! 

"How did you know they were here?" she glared at him, she watched as he cringed away from her slightly. 

Akane was angry with him, after all this time, her feelings had barely changed for him, she thought of him as a friend, but she wanted it to be more than that, but having him being an insensitive jerk every time after he said something nice was getting on her nerves. She wished he could make a decision about all this and stick with it. 

She wanted an end to the chaos and weirdness that had entered her life, when Ranma had come along. It looked like Ranma was again playing games with her heart, she wanted him to tell her he - 

"Look," said Ranma, "I saw the Cat Café last night when we arrived, I was going to tell them to leave me alone, but I want you to come along so that they don't try anything, like drug me or anything, but there is another reason -" 

"Oh, and what's that?" she demanded, 

"I'll explain when we get there," said Ranma, smiling slightly, "I don't like to repeat myself." 

They entered the Cat Café, as the door opened and with the chiming of the bell, a chirpy voice came from behind the counter. 

"Niho! Would Honoured Customer want -" Shampoo turned, and then she squealed in pure delight and jumping over the counter made to glomp Ranma. "_Airen!_" 

Or least she would have, if Akane had not been standing in her way. 

"Why Violent Kitchen-Destroyer here with my _Airen_?" 

Akane scowled, looking the purple haired Amazon over, she was dressed in a shorter than short skirt and plunging top, reveal everything without disobeying any public decency laws, just bending them a little. "You'll have to ask Ranma yourself, Shampoo." Akane looked over her shoulder at Ranma, he smiled at her, then he stepped beside her, his arm touching hers briefly. 

"I'm only here to see Cologne, Shampoo," said Ranma, "I wish to speak with her." 

"About what, son-in-law?" said, appearing as if out of no where. 

Akane watched as Ranma turned to the tribe elder, a scowl suddenly appearing on his face. "I've been through this day before, twice before, I don't know what you're game is, old ghoul. But it stops right now!" Ranma's anger seemed to expand with each word, his hands balled into fists. 

"I see," said Cologne, with an infuriating calm. "what makes you think I am behind this, and how do you know you are not simply having déjà vu?" 

"I know what déjà vu is like, old ghoul," Ranma scowled, Akane could almost feel the heat coming off of him, as he stood beside her. "this ain't it, so obviously there is some sort of magic goin' on, and I want it to stop, I've had it with you're Chinese mystic stuff, yer hear me, old ghoul, turn this spell or whatever it is off, NOW!" 

The Amazon village Elder merely smiled, as if impressed by his outburst against someone many years older than him. 

Akane didn't like the look in Cologne's eye, she was devious, Akane knew, trying to force Ranma in to a marriage to Shampoo, marriage she assumed he did not want, of course it was only her assumption. She knew from assumptions meant nothing in the real world. 

"I'll tell you what, son-in-law," said Cologne smiling, Shampoo giggled as she looked at Ranma, "I'll tell you how to reverse this, if you defeat me, one on one, however if you loose -" 

"Yeah, yeah," said Ranma, cutting her off with a wipe of the hand, "if I loose, - which I won't, - then I have to marry Shampoo, I know the score, old ghoul. Let's go!" 

Cologne smiled a very feral smile, balanced on her staff, she looked like a cat sat on a pole. 

"Then, let us begin, son-in-law." Said Cologne, then both Ranma and the old Amazon leapt into the air. 

There was a flurry of blows that Akane could barely follow, as they almost seemed to float in the air. 

The old matriarch easily deflected a kick, as the two combatants were grounded, Ranma, leaped into the air and wiped a low round house kick, but Cologne blocked it again. 

"Very good, son-in-law," said the Amazon Elder, "if you defeat this technique, which I assure you, will not be easy, then you shall have my help." 

"Quit goading me, old ghoul," Ranma, bit out, throwing a punch, which missed when the target suddenly vanished. "just get on with it!" he kicked backward, barely missing the elder's face, as she raced up behind him. 

Suddenly, there were various Colognes standing on the tables around the small restaurant. 

Ranma grinned, "Nice one, old ghoul," he turned to Shampoo, "Shampoo, how fast can you make a ramen with noodles?" 

"Airen's Special Ramen, all ready!" squeaked the Chinese bimbo, throwing him the bowl. 

Akane fumed, "This is no time to eat, Ranma!" 

"Oh, but it _is_," said Ranma, catching and then lacing noodles between chopsticks, he threw the tangle of food into the center of the multiple Colognes. "here you go, old ghoul!" 

"What are you -" Akane stopped, as one of the Colognes detached from the mass and snapped up the ball of noodles. 

"Gotcha!" yelled Ranma, thrusting forward and stopping his karate chop to the Amazon Elder, an inch from her throat. 

"Curse my stomach," grumbled Cologne, looking down at Ranma's hand, "very good, son-in-law." 

"Thanks, old ghoul," said Ranma, straightening, "now why have you been doing this?" 

"I never said I started this," said Cologne, calmly, hopping onto her stick, "however we may find something that will help you." She turned to her great-granddaughter, "Shampoo, fetch the ancient texts from the trunk." 

"Yes, great-grandmother," said Shampoo, bowing. 

"Where is Mousse, Shampoo?" said Cologne, Shampoo turned with a frown. 

"Shampoo no know," she answered, "Stupid Mousse possibly outside hugging post box, expressing undying love." As Shampoo left. 

Everyone face-faulted. 

It was several hours later, when Akane finally decided enough was enough with this research, she wanted to know what was going on. She turned to Ranma, her only source of information in this continuing insanity. 

"What's going on, Ranma?" she asked, in a very controlled voice, "I really want to know, right _now!_" 

"This is kinda hard to explain," began Ranma. 

"_Try._" Said Akane, tightening her fists, she had managed to control her anger today and it would only take a little bit more of push to send her over the edge. 

"Look," he said quickly, starting to sweat, "I dunno what's goin' on, all I know is, I've just gone through this day, this exact day twice b'fore, I've no idea what 'caused it, but my guess was -" 

"- Chinese magic," Akane finished for him, some of her anger ebbing away, "so you come here, which explains how you knew it was here." Her anger bubbled, rising with her next sentence: "so you've been to this bimbo's place before!" 

A look of pure terror slipped on Ranma's face, as the mallet made it's belated appearance. 

"What Kitchen-Destroyer call Shampoo?" shouted Shampoo, bombari magically in hand. 

"Now, jus' a minute, 'Kane," said Ranma, getting up, it was a very bad idea. 

_**BAM!** WAP!_

"Oops!" exclaimed both Shampoo and Akane, as Mallet-sama and bombari were brought down on Ranma's head. 

Akane glared at Shampoo, then took Ranma's limp form by the pigtail, "We're leaving, I can't find anything to do with repeating days, so that's it, 'bye, Shampoo." 

Akane slammed the door behind her and then hid both herself and the still unconscious Ranma in a side alley, just as Shampoo burst through the door, looking around for the pair of them. 

Akane sighed and looked at her fiancée, lying in the rubbish, completely asleep. 

"Guess we better get home," she said, mostly to herself, "otherwise our fathers might think we've eloped or something stupid like that." 

Akane was looking around for P-Chan when Ranma, sprawled on his bed, where she had put him, woke up. 

"Ugh." He said, in way of greeting and clutching his head. "what hit me?" he asked the world in general. 

"A mallet and a Bonbori," said Akane, simply, looking under her bed, "have you seen P-Chan anywhere?" she asked 

"Akane," said Ranma, wiping sleep form his eyes, "I've just woken up, how would I where he is, anyway, he'll turn up, he gets lost easily." 

"Ranma, you baka," she said, slightly hurt at him for what he was saying about her pet pig, "He's not Ryouga, you know." 

"Whatever," he said, with a strange sigh, "what time is it?" 

"Three o'clock, you've been asleep for three hours." She replied, still looking. 

"Ah, great," he sighed again, "I missed lunch." He got up and went to their, that is Akane and Ranma's, separated beds and all, room. "I'm just going for a bit of fresh air, I may go on to somewhere else, there must be somewhere that can help me out with this prob -" 

He stopped, Akane turned, his hand was almost on the handle of the door, he sighed again, opening it and stepping aside as Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome collapsed onto the floor, deprived of the reassuring weight of the door they had been leaning against, trying to listen to the pair's conversation. 

"Is that so," said Akane, grabbing her coat, and standing next to Ranma, "well I might as well as come with you, nothing better to see here after all." 

They left their fathers were they lay in a crumpled heap, Ranma making sure to step on his father as he went, and left the hotel. 

Akane became more interested in Ranma's problem rather than seeing the New Year parade in the main streets of Tokyo, after all if his problem was not solved, she'd see again tomorrow, of course, she wouldn't realise this, but other things were on her mind right now. 

"What did we do on the other days?" she asked, turning to her fiancée as they walked down the street, others having gone off to celebrate. 

"Same as usual," Ranma replied, "we were bickering, fighting, throwing insults, Nabiki got in the ways, as did our Dads, the rivals and well, you know," Ranma grimaced, "always sticking their noses into our business." 

"Sounds like the usual day to me." Commented Akane. 

"ARGH! WHERE THE HELL AM I NOW!?!" the yell came from a nearby alley. 

"What was that?" said Akane, thinking, _Ryouga, how is he here?_

Ranma suddenly grinned and raced into the alley. 

Just as suddenly there was another shout. "Hey kid! Watch were you're going, you could've killed me!" 

Akane went into the alleyway, to find Ranma and Ryouga, with three middle aged men in robes of dark crimson, all in their late fifties, with greying brown hair. One wore glasses with a moustache, the second had a rather ragged beard and the last was cleanly shaven. 

"Watch were I'm going?" said Ryouga, he looked angrily at the older men. 

"As I recall, boy," said the spectacled one, "you ran into the back of us." 

"Oh, really," said Ryouga, his hands in fists, "you wanna fight, old man!" 

"Hello, Ryouga," said Akane, Ryouga turned his fuming face from the three men, his expression changing completely as he did so. 

"A - Akane," he let out a stupid little laugh. "What are you doing in New York?" 

"This is Tokyo Center, pig-boy," said Ranma, folding his arms, "weren't you going to apologise to these three men here, yer know for running into them and all?" 

"Who are you calling pig-boy, you cross-dresser!" 

"_WHAT!_" Ranma exploded. 

"Whoa! Little hot-heads, eh?" grinned the bearded one. 

"Reminds me of someone," the clean shaven on, grinned at his spectacled friend, "wonder who." 

"Me too." 

"Very funny, Charlie," he growled back, knuckles cracking. He turned back to Akane, ignoring the arguing teens, "anyway, we must introduce ourselves to the young lady here." The man smiled in a friendly way. 

"You're English?" asked Akane, noting their features and their accents, although their clothes were a little odd. 

"Good observation there, young lady," said the bearded one, "My name is Harry, these are my (Ahem!) associates -" he gestured to the two men that stood before her. 

"More like colleagues really," said the one with a moustache and spectacles. "Name's Charlie." 

"I thought we were just acquaintances?" said the clean shaven one, "I'm Gary, by the by, the leader." 

"Hey," said Harry, turning on Gary, as did Charlie, angrily, "who died and made you leader, huh?" 

Gary simply rolled his eyes, "Oh, I dunno, the Master perhaps," he said, "remembered when he was on his sick bed in Vienna, made that big proclamation about me being the new leader." 

"Oh, yeah," laughed Harry, stupidly, hand behind his head. "him, heh." 

"Excuse me," said Akane, butting in and still trying to blank out Ranma and Ryouga, "but who are you?" 

"Us?" they said together, grinning and then striking a pose. 

"We are the Priests of the Given Light, Guardians of the Sacred Pipe, Defenders of the Unfallen Wall and Moppers of the Floor of Pain," they flourished and twirled, standing back to back, as well as three men can, "We are the Three!!!" 

Akane mouth fell open at three middle aged men, while Ranma and Ryouga had stopped fighting to watch this display. 

"I think," said Gary, slowly, looking over the staring teens, "that maybe our delivery is a little off today." 

"Oh, come on," said Charlie, disgruntled, "we worked all summer on that!" 

"Well anyway," said Harry, glaring briefly at Ryouga and then turning back to Akane, "anything we can do yer for, or you're boyfriends?" he grinned. 

"Boyfriends?" said Akane, her eyes bugging out. 

"Well, I think they make you a cute couple," said Charlie. 

"Oh, yeah?" said Harry, "which pair?" 

"Anyway," said Gary, as all three teens started blushing madly. "We know all sorts of magic, alchemy and a few things about higher level martial arts. So just ask us anything you like." 

"You know martial arts?" said Akane, incredulously. 

"You know magic?" exclaimed Ryouga. 

"What's alchemy?" asked Ranma, cocking an eyebrow. 

Akane sized the three older men up, they did not have the build for any martial arts that she knew, as for the magic thing, well there was no real to tell for sure. 

"OK," said Akane, "prove it then." 

"Which," said Gary, "the martial arts or the magic?" 

"Magic." Said Akane, firmly. 

The 'Three' all grinned, and raised their hands. 

It was as if multiple explosions were going off around them, both Ryouga and Ranma got in defensive positions either side of Akane. 

Suddenly the rubbish that was piled up against the walls of the alleyway suddenly started sprouting sweet smelling flowers and butterflies appeared out of no where. 

"Wow!" breathed the teens. 

Gary smiled gently at them, "Learned that one in China, doesn't require any nonsense babbling, just pure thought, took Harry a long time with that one." 

"Hey!" said Harry, indigently. 

"China?" said Akane and Ranma, together. 

"Yep," said Harry, "learn most of our magic from -" 

_**SPLASH!**_

"Why'd you do that?" exclaimed a very wet Harry, water dripping from his beard. 

"Sorry," said Akane, dropping the bucket. 

"Ah, well yer see," said Ranma, with a grimace, "it's kinda like this..." 

Ranma, with occasional asides from Akane, so that she was sure he told the whole story, told about them visiting China and the cursed springs. Ryouga was of course left out, Akane was around after all. 

"You went there, huh?" said Gary, looking sympathetic, "I cannot believe they put a bunch of tour guides there!" he said in exasperation. 

"Should've been a troop of guards," said Charlie, nodding wisely. "let me guess, Ranma, you want to find a cure for it, right?" 

"To be honest, today _that_ is not a great concern," said Ranma, surprising everyone, even Ryouga, "I've been repeating this very day, it's happened twice already." 

"Mmm," said Gary, thoughtfully. 

"Mmm." Said Harry, copying Gary's pose. 

Charlie turned and said, "You're fooling no one, Harry." 

"Ah, shuddup Charlie," said Harry glaring at him, dropping the pose. 

"Repeating you're day, you say," said Gary, still with a hand to his chin, "well Ranma, there are a few things we could try, but it would mean that you are all involved in this." He looked pointedly at Ryouga. 

Ryouga looked at Akane, "Well OK," he said slowly, "if Akane agrees with this, then so do I." 

"Thanks, buddy," said Ranma, with a smile. 

"I ain't doing this for you Ranma." Ryouga glared. 

"Yeah, I know, but still thanks." 

"OK," said Akane, slowly, if she had not seen the display before hand, she would have said a flat no, but seeing them in action had killed some of those doubts. 

Some. 

Akane heard Ryouga grumble something about 'stupid emotions', when the Three got them to hold hands with them in a circle. 

"OK, let's try a few things..." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Er, maybe it was the wrong wording?" said Gary, tiredly. 

The six of them were, after two and half hours standing in a circle, surrounded by various objects that were not usually found in an alleyway in Tokyo City, Akane was definitely sure you did not find a jungle down one of them, for sure. 

"I think we need to take a break." Said Charlie, they all broke hands, Akane leaning against a partial wall, which had remained even after the tropical forest had sprung up. 

"I don't think I take much more this," sighed Akane, she looked over at Ranma, he was looking around, he looked bored and more than a little tired, but she knew he would not give up on this, she had given her support, as far as her body was concerned it was in need of food. "I'm going back." She said loudly. 

Ranma, turned, "Look, Akane," he stepped up to her, stepping over Ryouga who had collapsed on the floor a few minutes before when a micro storm had decided to shoot a thunderbolt into his head. "thanks for this, I couldn't done this without you, really, but if you gotta go. Take Ryouga with you, he'll walk yer back." 

Ranma tapped Ryouga with his foot, the Lost Boy sparked and shot up to standing position, his head whipping from left to right quickly. "Huhwhatzat!?!" 

"Take Akane home, Ryouga," said Ranma, stepping back from Ryouga, in case he started to spark again. 

Ryouga agreed, then remembered he did not know the way, so Akane decided to lead him with her in front. 

After walking a couple of blocks nearing the hotel, Ryouga told her that he wanted to get her something from a shop he had seen earlier, he told her to wait for ten minutes then he would be back with it. 

She waited on the corner as night closed in, after almost half an hour past, she decided that Ryouga had obviously gotten lost, so she made her way back to the hotel, sure that he would turn up later. 

She met with the rest of her family, they ate dinner, not going on about Ranma's absence for more than two hours before they left her alone and they went onto the party. 

During the party going, Akane made use of her time looking over the various stalls, admiring the artwork, and malleting away would-be-suitors, although her heart was not completely in it. Her mind was elsewhere. 

It was almost midnight when her family found her and then took her, without a word to the local police station. 

"Ranma was _WHAT!?!_" she exclaimed, as the officer in charge looked at her. 

"I said," Replied the officer, "Mr. Ranma Saotome and his three (Ahem!) friends were in a bar brawl, not a scratch on them, they say they did not start the fight, but considering they don't have hardly any bruises, I'm inclined to think otherwise." 

"Then you're imprisoning my boy!" Genma growled. 

Soun wailed "Now the schools will never be joined! WAAH!!" 

"Be brave father." Soothed Kasumi. 

"How much? the bail I mean." Said Nabiki, leafing through bill several bills, Akane did not want to know how she got that money. 

"Can we see hi -, I mean them?" asked Akane. 

The officer nodded. 

They were taken into the cells, Soun was still wailing, Genma looked straight ahead. Nabiki was taking the area with her shrewd eyes. Akane just felt a well of disappointment fill her. 

She couldn't believe Ranma would do something so stupid that was not like him, to pick a fight, least of all with non-martial artists. 

"_RanMA!_" Akane almost shouted, when she saw him, he stepped up to the bars. 

"Akane," he said, "you shouldn't have come here." 

"What did you think you were doing?" then she smelt the sake in the air, she wrinkled her nose. 

"My fault," said Ranma, not looking at her, "but tomorrow will be better." 

"But Ranma, you said," then Akane understood, she rolled her eyes, wondering if this was still true or not. "Baka, I'll try and remember this, after all you could do anything today." 

Ranma suddenly grinned, "You know something Akane," his grin broadened, "you're totally right, he-he!" 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Next Chapter: Let The Fun Begin! 

Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay, working on several assignments at once, most of the upcoming chapters will be multi-viewpoint. Be warned, next chapter has various character bashings, and "Oh, my!" will not cover these situations. (Laughs evilly) I shall try and get this up as soon as possible. 

Author's New Note (14/7/03): right, another chappie re-edited, should have the next chappie of this soon, so watch this space... 


	4. Let the Fun Begin! revised

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Ranma ½ , apart from the DVDs, but that's all, unfortunately! 

Chapter Three: Let The Fun Begin! 

"So," said the young pigtailed man, addressing the robed Harry before him, "if you had a day that was repeating over and over, what would you do with it?" 

"Me?" said Harry, thinking, "well I'd try out various magic tricks I've never tried before, or even learn a couple of things I didn't know before. But seriously," Harry grinned at his drinking companion. "I'd have the time of life." 

The pigtailed youth grinned back, "That's exactly what I thought too." Then fell off his stool in fits of laughter, straight into a bunch of leather clad thugs... 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Ryouga Hibiki stood on the rooftops in the main city of Tokyo, he glanced around, lifting his shoulders to get his pack into a more comfortable position. The sun blazed down across the city sparkling off the tall structures of concrete and glass, (I had planned to say something more poetic than that, but then again, Ryouga isn't Kuno, thankfully! ~_-). 

He found it easier from above, how could not he get lost with the Tokyo Tower in sight, as long as he kept in view and at certain distance, he would find his destination that would bring him back to the hotel. 

Back to the woman he loved. 

Back to the man that had made his life a living Hell. 

Ryouga cracked his knuckles, in anticipation of them coming into to contact with that fem-boy's face. He neared the hotel, pulling out his umbrella ready to attack, leaping from building to building without any apparent effort. 

Scanning around a second time, he saw the rooftop of the hotel, someone was up there, a red-haired someone. 

Ryouga smiled, his fangs glinting in the sunlight as he made his final leap toward the man that had destroyed his life. 

"RANMA SAOTOME! PREPARE TO -" 

The red-head turned, pulling her shirt wide open. 

"Come and get it, Pig-Boy!" squealed Ranma, as Ryouga crashed into crumpled heap, blood flowing from his nose. 

"Yer know Ryouga, actin' like that won't impress women later in life. He-he!" 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Harry, Gary and Charlie, after that little confrontation with that little punk with the umbrella, went to look around the city zoo. 

Harry stopped at the Panda enclosure, noticing the pandas sleeping in the trees with the suns on their backs, but one panda caught his eye, it was sat on a log, its legs in the small pool. It looked as if there had been ducks swimming around, the panda would have been feeding them bits of bread. 

Harry's mind boggled, when the panda looked up at him and pulled a sign from out of nowhere. 

{What are you looking at, beardy?} 

Harry's mind decided it had enough of being boggled, so stepped out for a quick breather. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"I, Tatewaki Kuno, must be the happiest man in all history!" proclaimed Kuno, "For I art in thou's discreet presence, without that foul sorcerer Soatome's vile ways besmirching your naïve honour." 

Ranma-Chan looked up into the glinting eyes of Upperclassman Kuno, she grinned demurely. 

"Don't you think that's a bit cruel?" said Akane, also looking at Kuno. 

"Ah, the fair tigress doth also grace me with her presence!" exclaimed Kuno, grinning rather more madly than usual, "I would grant you both an embrace into my arms, but I am otherwise engaged, however..." 

"What?" said Ranma-Chan, ignoring Kuno, as he ranted on, "cruel, as in changing into my cursed form, running around half naked in front of him for five minutes before he passes out, than binding his hands and feet behind his back, then hog-tying him and then finally stringing him up to the top of an over-hanging lamppost?" 

"Yes," replied Akane, dumbly looking up at Kuno, as he continued spouting poetry that made Shakespeare not only turn in his grave but also start to slam his head against the insides of his centuries old confinement. 

"Personally," said Ranma-Chan, grinning, "I can't think of better position to see him in." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Akane sat with her family, in the large hotel room, all having various conversations about the New Year's party that they would join in later. This was the first meal in years that had either been cooked by Kasumi or (_GULP!_) Akane. 

As Ranma was shovelling in the rice from all corners of the table, Akane noted in passing that he was ignoring the platter of pork, well if he didn't want it then she would have it then. 

Taking several other items of food from the western style serving dishes, Akane began to eat, but at a slower pace than the martial artist beside her. Her thoughts were drawn in that direction for the third time today, as she thought over the craziness that had completely surrounded both her and Ranma. 

She had found that she could cope with it, if Ranma was around, she was not certain if he really cared for her, each time he did something nice he would turn around and be a real jerk again, Akane thought it would be nicer if he just stuck to one or the other, not only was it confusing it was hurtful. 

Plus him chasing around her poor P-Chan, that was annoying, it was strange really, it was like he was trying to protect her honour or something. But from a pig! Honestly what a baka! 

Akane chewed on her pork for a few seconds, before she felt something cloth like with he tongue. 

She pulled the offending item out of her mouth, and was stunned but what she saw. 

"Oh, my!" she said, and passed out. 

A yellow polka-dot bandana falling from her hand. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Nabiki glared over the board, red hotels and green houses covered it, only the houses, belonged to Nabiki. 

The hotels belonged to the pigtailed martial artist, who was grinning broadly. 

"Well," said Ranma, "are you going to pay up or not?" he gestured to racing race, that had landed on one of the streets that Ranma had managed to put on a hotel, just before Nabiki had gotten there. 

He had all his streets, all paid up, Nabiki had to montage most of her houses to keep her in the game, Akane had sat back with a usual "Hmph!" as she lost to Nabiki as usual, while Kasumi just gave in and went to make them all tea and have room service bring up some cookies. 

"Fine." Said Nabiki, icily, which made Ranma grin even more. He was _so_ going to pay for this, Nabiki promised herself, when they got back she was going to make his life a living hell, profitable ideas sprang to mind as she handed him the money, he had to tug it out of her resisting fingers at first. 

Nabiki Tendo, does not like to loose. 

"Ah, come on, Nabiki," said Ranma, his grin widening to almost to chop his head in half, "no one likes a sore looser, right?" 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Hey, Akane," said Ranma, while stuffing his face with rice and other things, "pass the teapot will you." It was not really a question. 

Akane was tempted to simple throw the scolding water in his face, but since he was still male, having changed back after his rather brief sparring with his father this morning, there was not much point. 

"Here." She passed it, not looking at him, instead stroking P-Chan on the head as he nuzzled into her lap. 

"Thanks," he took the teapot, it suddenly slipped out of his grip and landed, spilling its contents onto Akane's lap. 

Akane would have screamed, but for the sudden weight on her lap. 

The weight coming for a steaming and very naked Ryouga, sitting in her lap, where P-Chan had been sitting. 

Akane mind suddenly reeled, there had been no way for Ryouga to come through the roof, there was no hole to show his entrance, plus there were several other stories to the hotel, plus if he had he would have squashed P-Chan. 

And P-Chan was no where around now. 

"Hi, Ryouga," said Ranma, causally, as if Ryouga usually sat naked on Akane's lap, which if he was P-Chan, he did, "when did you get here?" 

Akane's left eye switched, a loud growl emitting from her throat, her fists clenched. 

Ryouga smiled nervously. 

"Hello, Akane, I -" 

"**_RYOUGA NO HENTAI!!!_**" Akane screamed, at the top her lungs, malleting him up through the upper floors of the hotel. 

"This is all Ranma's fault..." said Ryouga as he crashed through the roof and out toward the outskirts of the city. 

Akane looked over at Ranma, fury in her face. 

Ranma just shrugged and carried on eating, the family all looked at him, amazed he was being so calm in the face of Akane's anger. 

"You'd never let me explain anyw-" 

He was proved right as he was malletted away with a "_RANMA NO BAKA!_" though not as hard as what Ryouga received! 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"What are we doing here, son?" asked Genma, annoyed at his son from being taken away from their morning meal early, because Ranma had wanted to go shopping for training manuals, which Genma had quickly agreed to before his son could change his mind. 

But this was not the way into the centre of shops and retail places, they had been going in the direction of the park, where another celebration of the New Year was taking place. 

"You'll see Pop," said Ranma, grinning. 

Genma didn't like the look of that grin, it was far too feral for his liking. He's instincts were telling him something, they were telling him to run and hide. But this was his son! 

Genma took a few steps away from Ranma, just in case. 

Ranma looked at his father. "What's up Pops?" he glanced around, "I don't sense any trouble." 

"Nothing," said Genma, "I feel hungry is all." 

"Oh, don't worry Pops," said Ranma, again with that grin, "you'll get plenty to eat, don't worry." 

They came into sight of a big tent, large enough for a circus to perform in... 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

"You're saying you're dad completely agree to it?" said Nabiki, incredulously. 

"Oh yeah," said Ranma, grinning still, "said he wanted to do something special for all of us." 

"But the circus!" said Soun Tendo, also incredulously, raising an eyebrow for good measure. 

" 'A martial artist trains in all things at all times' is what he said," answered Ranma, as they took their seats near the front row of the ring. 

After a few moments the lights turned up and centred on the middle of the ring. 

All the audience stood agape at the vision in front of that. 

Between splutters of laughter, Ranma shouted "Wait a go, Pop! Never knew you had it in you!" 

In the middle of the ring stood a panda, dressed like a ballerina and started pirouetting all around the ring, as the stage master cracked his whip. 

The panda thrust up a sign as it passed by the group. 

{I'll get you for this, boy!!!} 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Kodachi dropped into a nearby alley, where that 'Ice Queen' Nabiki Tendo said her Ranma-sama would be located today. 

She peered around the corner, and saw her love walking directly to her, his head jerking from side to side as if looking for something. 

He was looking for her, how adorable was that! He had left that wicked Tendo girl and was coming to her, to bring her into his arms. 

She pulled a small test-tube from under her hooded cloak, just in case things did not go completely her way. Either an enraged fiancée might turn up, or even worse her brother would interfere with her tryst. 

She would not, could not have that! 

"Ranma-sama!" she called, springing demurely out of her hiding place and into his path. 

"Kodachi!" he yelled, stunned. 

Kodachi jumped into his arms, readying her potion, her truth potion, which would bring Ranma under her demure spell, where no one could get in her way with her love. 

"_Gotcha!_" 

But Kodachi did not say it, Ranma said it, as if expecting the attack. 

But also, he had his own potion, which he sprayed in her face. 

Now she was too stunned to even move. 

"Now, Kodachi," he said, with a smile, that she would gladly die for, "what have you been up to today?" 

And not to her complete surprise, she told him everything. 

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"Aiyah! Airen come see Shampoo!" (A/N: God she's annoying!) exclaimed Shampoo, looking up from the counter. 

"I've come to give you a challenge." Said Ranma-Chan, grinning broadly. 

"Challenge, son-in-law?" said Cologne, appearing. Ranma-Chan still had not figured out how she did that. 

"You challenge Shampoo, I shall not allow it!" shouted Mousse at the broomstick. 

"Stupid Mousse!" sighed Shampoo. 

"What is the challenge, son-in-law?" asked Cologne, noting his broad smile. 

"Easy," said Ranma-Chan, "I will marry Shampoo, if," his smile broadened (A/N: he's - I mean - she's been doing that a lot this chapter) "she can prove she has a bigger bust size than me!" 

All three Chinese face-faulted. 

"Well this is Anything Goes, right?" laughed Ranma-Chan. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Ryouga was limp in Akane's arms, as she picked her 'P-Chan' up to go to breakfast, after the vision he had seen before him, what else could he do? 

Ranma was his usual caddish self, Ryouga would find some water to avenge his love from taking his insulting behaviour. 

"Akane," called Kasumi, "Ranma told me the bath's ready for you if you want it, maybe you could take P-Chan," she added, smiling in that Kasumi way, "he may need a bath himself, after all, you don't know where he's been do you?" 

"Thank you, Kasumi." Said Akane, picking up Ryouga. 

_WHAT? A B-BATH!?! With Akane! I better go._

"Ah-hah," said Akane, grabbing him as tried to jump off the bed toward the door, "no you don't. I'm going to clean you up, after all you're travels, I think you deserve it!" 

But I don't deserve this, thought Ryouga, mournfully. (A/N: Oh, yes you do, heh!) 

They went into the bathroom, Akane holding him as she ran the bathroom, she locked the door and he was trapped. Trapped with a rapidly undressing Akane. At any other time, this would be heaven. But not today. 

She picked him up and again and then got into the bath, submerging him in the hot water. 

Ryouga sputtered as he came up, completely human, and straddling a naked Akane. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Ranma heard the scream and as he ran up to the bathroom heard the yelling and things being smashed and broken. 

He grinned, as he passed Kasumi back down the hall, who smiled back, in her usual manner. 

"Oh, what a day!" he said, "what a day!" 

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Next Chapter: Discoveries. 

Author's Note: OK, I know this was a short chapter, just a collection of some character bashings, although not all of them, because I could not think of many. I am currently going to be taking a break from writing this, assignments are piling high this week. I will try and sort out these little problems that have to be sorted out, before continuing with the story, but I will get back to it. -_~ Please keep reviewing, without these reviews I would never have been able to think up a title for this fic! Thanks Delirium's Hostage!!! \o/ 

Author's New Note (14/7/03): Yet another edited chappie, this one had only one or two mistakes re-written, I will attend to the next few chappies soon(ish). So keep reviewing and tell me how I doing, and if you like it! Reviews good and bad, keep me writing. 

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	5. Discoveries

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Ranma ½ , apart from the DVDs, but that's all, unfortunately! 

Chapter Four: Discoveries. 

"So what are you saying, kid," said Harry, as the 'Three' stood in the grimy alleyway out of the way from the parade route of the Chinese New Year celebrations, "is that you want to fight me?" 

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying," said Ranma, standing at the mouth of the alley, "so are you gonna fight, or what?" 

"Alright then," said Harry, stepping forward, "I don't usually fight teenagers, but since you asked, you're on." 

Both fighters jumped into the air, going in for the attack. 

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Harry jumped back, as Ranma deftly missed landing into a trashcan. 

"Wow, kid," said Harry, impressed, swiping sweat from his forehead, as Ranma was barely even breathing hard, "you got some skill there, but you need to refine some of your techniques." 

As Harry was picking up his assorted weapons and hiding them back in his robe, Gary approached Ranma. 

"Very good, Ranma," he said, "but why did you challenge us?" 

"Because I wanted to see what you could do," replied Ranma, "I - er - heard 'bout yer and wanted to see for myself." 

Gary smiled, "Heard of us have you?" he said, and looked at the other two, "maybe we should introduce ourselves properly-" 

"Er - no, no, - that's fine, _really_," said the teenage martial artist, a slightly frightened look in his eye, "I just want to learn stuff, any techniques you're willing to share." 

"You know something, Ranma," said Gary, leading Ranma further into the alleyway, "if I had not seen your skill before hand, I would not be showing you some of these techniques." 

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"So, cur, you wish to challenge the mighty Blue Thunder?" 

"You do wanna fight then, I won't let you run out on this one!" 

"I shall tear you apart for Shampoo's heart!" 

Ranma mentally rolled his eyes, "I called you all here for a reason," he looked at them all, as they stood on the rooftop of the hotel, "Kuno, if I defeat you, then you will stop bothering both Akane and the pigtailed girl, agreed?" Ryouga smirked, as Kuno glared but nodded, "Ryouga, if I defeat you, then you'll not come back, as either yourself or P-chan, to challenge me again or hurt Akane, agreed?" the bandana clad boy smirked again, but also nodded, "Mousse, if I defeat you, then you'll stop putting the blame of your problems on me and do what you have to do to defeat Shampoo and win her, I'm not your obstacle." 

"Fine." Said Mousse, his glasses in place so that he was glaring at Ranma, rather than a television aerial, "but what if one of us, or even all three of us win?" 

"OK," Ranma thought for a moment, "Right, Kuno if you win, then you can try and date the pigtailed girl and Akane. Ryouga, you can ask Akane out and Mousse, - well, you can go back to what you were doing before, if yer like." He shrugged, not really coming up with anything better on the spot, because he was sure he would win. 

"Then let us fight!!" yelled Kuno, raising his bokken in challenge, 

"For once Kuno," said Ranma, grinning, as the four leapt into battle, "I agree with you." 

The four fighters charged in, but something felt wrong to Ranma. As he was dodging Kuno's bokken, parrying Ryouga's heavy umbrella and Mousse's assorted weapons, which strangely included a metal duck-shaped potty. Ranma realised that his movements were to slow for his highly trained body. 

Then like a ton of bricks, the realisation hit him, or rather like a bokken blow to head, an umbrella jab to the gut and chains latching around his neck and legs. 

He blacked out... 

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"So I can't learn any new techniques?" exclaimed Ranma, horrified. 

"'Fraid not," said Gary, "you see, if what you said is true, -" 

"- it is -" 

"- yes, I'm not disputing that, anyway, if that is the case, then any techniques you have learned the previous day, will not be available to you on the next, the only thing, as I understand how this works, I think," said Gary, with a shrug, "then all the training you did will have to be done again, but you said that took up most of the day and by then you were to tried to challenge them, right?" 

"Look, I've been through this day over a hundred times already," said Ranma, annoyed, "it seems that nothing I do changes it. If I can't do this by martial arts, how can I do anything?" 

"I think there is one area you have over looked," said Gary, with a slight smile, "this area has helped you remember what has come to past over this recurring day and helped you deal a little better with the situation that it presents to you." 

Ranma looked at him for a minute, "What?" 

"What!" Gary exclaimed, he pointed at Ranma's head, "I meant 'that'!" 

"Oh, heh-heh, right." Said Ranma, with a grin, then looked confused, "what about my head?" 

Gary face-faulted. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Why aren't you coming with us?" said Akane, in a mildly angry tone. 

"'Cos I'm doin' somethin' else." said Ranma, simply, he realised that there would have been a time, that he would put an insult or two at the end of that, but did not want to be slammed into the wall. 

"Oh, something better to do then go with Akane, eh, Saotome?" smirked Nabiki. 

Ranma grinned, "Something that is _important_ enough get done today, 'sides haven't you got to collect from the Kuno's?" 

"_WHAT!!_" exclaimed Akane, turning on her sister, a deadly look on her face. 

Nabiki ran from the shared bedroom, throwing a 'You'll pay for this later' look at Ranma, as she went. 

Ranma waved the Tendo's off, kicking his father out of the room, as he moaned about protecting Akane and family honour. 

After waiting an hour or so, to make sure they were truly gone, he made a quick trip over the rooftops, depositing P-chan into a rubbish bin as he went, he entered the city library. 

He gathered a stack of books, ranging from D.I.Y., something he knew a little about having fixed the Tendo roof and occasionally the Dojo, to mediating techniques, that required the use of the mind only. 

He read through half of them and then loaned out the rest, taking them back to the hotel and before the Tendos and his father returned, he committed the booklist and author's name to memory, by coupling them with martial arts techniques in his visual memory, then hid them under his and Akane's bed. 

He smiled thinking, _Well, at least they won't be late going back!_

The next day, he went out with the family, who were quiet surprised at his choices of venue, as they went out shopping getting a few items cheaper than most other places sold them. oddly this did not seem to please Nabiki, not until Ranma was splashed from high above. 

To the bemusement of the family however, he just shrugged it off and took the flask that Kasumi offered him to change back. 

Akane called him a pervert as she had almost lost all her shopping when she tripped, but again Ranma shrugged it off, putting her back on her feet and walked on. 

It was the first time, to Ranma's memory, in a long time, that he was allowed to relax, with no one attacking or declaring their love for him. 

He knew it could not last. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Why do you hate me so much?" 

Nabiki blinked, "I don't hate you, Saotome," she said, "I just don't trust you, especially with all those girls hanging off you," she held up a hand to stall any coming argument, "I know you don't do anything with them, even if my sister thinks you do. But, that's exactly the point isn't it?" 

"What can I do about it, then?" said Ranma, thoughtfully. More thoughtful than Nabiki had ever seen the pigtailed martial artist. 

"Commit suicide?" she offered, Ranma face-faulted, "well you did ask, but if I were you, I'd make a choice, things don't seemed to be sorting themselves out, and I doubt that you want to waste your entire life living like this. I know I wouldn't," she smirked, "but has been fun, but you could end up with no one, I wouldn't care, but you might." 

"Thanks, Nabiki, I mean it." 

"No problem," She replied smartly, "600 yen." 

Ranma handed over the money with a stony expression. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"What do you mean, Ranma?" asked Kasumi, politely, as he helped stack the plates from breakfast. 

"Well, I mean, how can you put up with your father, with the way he treats Akane and me, getting us engaged, I understand Pops, he never cared about what I think, but Mr. Tendo doesn't seem like that, at least not all the time." 

"Father has always been a little old fashioned," said Kasumi, with a slight smile, "I think he does want the best for us, to be happy, he cares about our futures, I'm sure," her smiled widened, "he especially wants Akane to be happy, she has not been this happy since mother died." 

"Excuse me?" said Ranma, shocked, "she never seems happy to me, she's always so angry, especially with me." 

"I have noticed that you look at her a lot, when she doesn't look at you," she said, with a chuckle, as Ranma's head threatened to come off if he shook it any harder. "I've also noticed that she looks at you, when you are not looking. I may spend a lot of time doing things around the house, but I have noticed a change for the better in my little sister, since a certain martial artist arrived." 

"Are you saying," said Ranma, slowly, "that Akane l - lo - loves me?" 

"Maybe," she shrugged, "but tell me Ranma, do you really know what love is? Do you think Akane really knows? Because only when both of you are in the same place, can you truly know anything. Don't you think it's time you found out?" 

All Ranma could say, as he heard the rest of the family approaching to go off to town was "No. Possibly. _Yes._" 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"You want to learn a technique from me?" said Soun Tendo, looking up from the game board in shock, Genma was also to surprised by his son's words to cheat. 

"Yes, it's a technique I've seen you use only a few time," said Ranma, "but I want to learn to use it." 

"What technique would that be, son?" said Genma, interested. 

"The Demon-Head Attack." Genma and Soun face-faulted. 

"Why would you want to learn that technique?" asked the Tendo and Saotome patriarchs. 

"I have my reasons," he grinned, back at them, "I heard also that it's a technique that can be learnt in an hour of instruction." 

"That's correct, son," said Soun, happy to show off one of his techniques to another martial artist, "now all you have to do is..." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Hey Ryouga," Ryouga spun around, pointing his umbrella at his foe. "I want a word with you." 

"What about?" said Ryouga, checking the alleyway way that he was suddenly in, in case Ranma was not alone, he would not put a sneak attack past the coward. 

"Well, you see it's like this," said Ranma, calmly, stepping forward with his hands in his pockets, "do you love her?" 

"What?" 

Ranma took a few deep breathes, then said a again, "Do you love Akane?" 

"Yes, I do." said Ryouga, firmly. 

"WHAT!?!" Ranma suddenly exploded, his head tripling in size, and it seemed to be suddenly wreathed in flame, "YOU _DON'T_ LOVE AKANE, YOU DON'T _EVEN_ KNOW THE MEANING OF THE _WORD!!!_" Ryouga was backed up against a wall, by this point, "ALL YOU EVER DO IS TURN INTO A PIG SO YOU CAN SLEEP IN HER BED!_ YOU PERVERT!_ BECAUSE OF YOU, I WAS THE ONE BRANDED A _PERVERT!_ IF YOU REALLY DID _LOVE HER_, YOU WOULD _NEVER_ DO ANYTHING LIKE _THAT!!!_" 

The Demon-Head attack vashined, Ranma was left glaring down at the crumpled heap of Ryouga Hibiki. 

"Works like a charm." Said Ranma, with a wide grin. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Ranma? What are you doing in here?" asked Akane, as she entered the bedroom they had been forced to share by their fathers. "You don't usually leave breakfast without a second helping. Or are you ill?" 

"No, I'm not ill," he said, with a rather strange smile on his face, "I've just come to a decision on a few things, mediation helped a lot actually, but before I tell you what I have decided upon, I need to tell you this." 

Ranma took a breath, then shouted: "I DON'T LIKE THE WAY YOU TREAT ME, ALWAYS CALLING ME A _PERVERT_ ALL THE TIME!! I _HATE_ THE FACT THAT YOU HIT ME OVER THE _SMALLEST_ OF THINGS!! WHETHER THERE ARE MY FAULT _OR NOT!!_ YOU NEVER GIVE ME A CHANCE TO _EXPLAIN!!_ AND I DON'T LIKE EATING YOUR _COOKING!!_" 

Akane stared at him, her mallet which she had held ready to punch down on his head, was limp in her fingers as he continued. 

"HOWEVER, YOU'VE ALWAYS HELPED ME OUT, EVEN WHEN I DIDN'T ASK FOR IT!! HELPED ME RECOVER FROM INJURY!! YOU'RE CUTE WHEN YOU SMILE, I'VE ALWAYS LIKED HOW YOU DRESS ... _AND I LOVE YOU!!!!_" he stopped, realising he had just combined the Demon-Head attack, with one of his older techniques, the old fabled Saotome Foot-in-Mouth technique. "I just said that out loud didn't I." it was not a question. 

Akane, however, answered with a nod, then moved closer to him, smiling a brilliant smile. 

_I'm soooooooooo dead_, he thought, miserably. He should of known better than to use this technique on Akane,_ will I be able to face her tomorrow, if I ever see another day again?_

"I'm going to do something I should have done a _long_ time ago," said Akane, brightly, her smile widening. 

_I'mdeadI'mdeadI'mdeadI'mdeadI'mdeadI'mdead_, Ranma would have moved, but the look in Akane's face had him transfixed, a part of him wanted to run for the hills and far away from that look, another stronger part wanted to know what she was talking about. 

"What?" he said, cautiously, trying to figure it out, as her face turned bright red. 

"_This!_" and she did it, and Ranma matched her blush tenfold. 

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Next Chapter: Getting To Know Them. 

Author's Note (14/7/03):OK, hopefully I should be able to bring up another chapter within a fortnight of them going onto ff.net, I've decided to concentrate on Ranma and Akane, because I cannot work out any other realationships apart from theirs into one day. However I do have in mind some unlikely pairings, where one side of the pair will not want the attention of the other, so they'll get to see what it's like for Ranma, (heh-heh!) so until then, keep reviewing. 

Also if you have read this far previously, please check out the other chapters for the revisions I have made to them. 

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	6. Getting To Know Them

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Ranma ½ , apart from the DVDs, but that's all, unfortunately! 

Chapter Five: Getting To Know Them. 

"How long did you say he's been like this?" asked Kasumi gently. 

"I don't know, maybe since he woke up." said Akane, giving a rather wet looking male Ranma a concerned glance. 

"What did you two do last night?" asked Nabiki, with a smirk. 

"Well, we - _NABIKI!!_" shouted Akane, after a brief pause. 

"Tendo-kun, it seems the children are finally respecting their elder's wishes and holding up their honour, aside from other things." 

"The schools will be joined!" shouted Soun Tendo, tears of joy suddenly flooding the bed, turning Ranma into a girl, but with still no effect. "_OH HAPPY DAY!!!_" 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"... let's see, Sakura cakes?-" 

"No, not for what I have in mind." 

"- Er, Love Potion amulet, two pills left -" 

"Nah, I had one of them, it only causes trouble. No, I meant something that I could use so I could get to know them a little." 

"Oooo, that's a toughy," said Harry, rummaging through the chest that the 'Three' had with them, "er, Confidence Apple? - on second thought better not, half-eaten and mouldy!" 

"Bleugh!" 

"Ah-hah! - Ah, no perhaps for the rivals - " 

"What is it?" said Ranma, as he learned over Harry's shoulder, to get a better look. 

"Chinese Purple Apple," said Harry, smiling slightly, "gives anyone who eats it piles for a while, gave one of these to Gary, a few years back, couldn't sit down for a week!" 

Harry laughed, but Gary look over and Harry choked, "Anyway, I think we might have something, but most Chinese tribal stuff is about enhancing emotions, like the passion spice, which I also used on -" 

"Ahem!" said Gary, sharply, "excuse him for a minute. Anything else we can do, I do feel we owe you, when I nearly fell down those steps." 

"Well, is there anything that I can use that'll get them to listen to me, before they drug, glomp, hit or try to kiss me?" 

"Blimey, you have got problems, haven't you." 

"Yep." 

Harry smiled broadly, "Well, we may have something..." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Kodachi Kuno could not believe her luck. 

It had to be fate, how else could Ranma-sama have found her? 

She smiled to herself in the dessert spoon as she adjusted her hair, so that the ponytail that left the side of her head, swept over the shoulder of her midnight black dress. 

"Hello, Kodachi." 

Kodachi looked up meekly, checking that the spiked wine was in the ice filled bucket beside the table, which was laid outside on the balcony of her and her brother's apartment in the centre of the city. Luckily her brother was out chasing his redheaded 'floozy'. 

"Ranma-sama." She breathed, in what she thought was a seductively husky voice, it although to most it was a just audible whisper. 

"That's a different look for you, isn't it?" Ranma smiled, Kodachi melted. 

"Yes, Ranma-sama," she gestured to the bottle in the bucket, "would you like a glass?" 

"Er - Actually, I brought my own," he smiled again, a little wider, "hope you don't mind." 

"No, I don't mind," she said, thinking, maybe I don't have to drug him too quickly. She put a hand to her mouth demurely, to stifle an upcoming laughing fit. 

Ranma popped the cork on the wine and poured in the contents into two crystal wineglasses. 

"So, what should we drink to?" he asked, raising his glass. 

"How about 'Future Passion'?" Kodachi grinned hungrily at a blanching Ranma. 

"Er - what about, er, 'No More Challenges'?" 

Kodachi smiled widely, "I would gladly toast that!" 

"No More Challenges!" they echoed and drank. 

Kodachi drank a little more than she intended, being in the presence of her Ranma-sama, while she was she looked beautiful, she could not help being a little nervous. 

"Kodachi, you OK?" asked Ranma. 

Kodachi's nervousness seemed to slip away, her rather rapid heartbeat had calmed, and one or two of the competitive voices in her head had seemed to have shut up. 

"I'm fine, Ranma," she was shocked at hearing her calm so calm. "Just lost in thought." 

"What do you like to do, Kodachi," asked Ranma, "you know, when you aren't doing gymnastics, you must have other hobbies." 

"Well, I like science, I've always used it to create my potions." 

Ranma raised an eyebrow and then them held out a hand, "Give me any potions you have on you." 

Kodachi extracted various potions from her dress, to a very stunned Ranma. 

Kodachi's rather bulky looking dress, now showed her slim figure, while the dinner table was now stocked with various bottles, vials and sealed test tubes of different colour liquids. 

Ranma boggled at them, before putting them away into his jacket, which he wore over his Chinese shirt. 

"I know you like flowers, and such," said Ranma, conversationally, "how did you get your roses to go so black?" 

"Oh, just a few personal mixtures I had created," Kodachi laughed, it was her usual laugh, but it was not as loud or annoying. "It took me years to figure it all out. But I got there in the end, I am the best, flower arranging is my next port of call aside from gymnastics, which I am also the best in." 

"I see," said Ranma smiling slightly. 

Over the course of the meal, Kodachi discovered one or two things about Ranma, some of those things she found she could not completely cope with. Ranma also learned about Kodachi, although he still found her to be eccentric, he found she could be a friend, not a great friend, but a friend that would be there to help out, if she was not so hyped on her 'Ranma-sama'. 

The date went OK, not spectacular by any means, and the date was officially ended when - 

_SPLASH!_

"**DIE VILE WITCH!**" 

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Shampoo looked up the street, as her Airen strolled up to her, two blocks away from the quickly set-up Cat Café. 

"RANMA!" Shampoo jumped forward in a hug. 

Ranma smiled and brought up the spray, straight into her face. 

She stepped back spluttering, then just as she felt her anger boiling, it faded away and she calmed down, so calm that she just smiled at Ranma, instead of glomping on to him. 

"So," said Ranma, with a smile, Shampoo merely smiled back, "you ready to go?" 

"Stupid Mousse talking to mirror." 

Ranma face-faulted. 

"Let's go then." 

Ranma took Shampoo to the second-best ramen bar (A/N: café? restaurant?), since the Cat Café was now in residence. 

Masses of hot water surrounded them, so neither of them were changed easily. 

Ranma discovered Shampoo was very into weapons, whether it was making them or cleaning them. He knew she was a good cook, but she also had a cousin who had a best-selling ramen cook book in Japan. 

An hour or so later, Ranma checked his watch, and realised that the pleasant conversion was over as - 

"RANMA!" the drug wore off, and the table was knocked over and a water jug fell over the two of them. 

"GAH! Get back, get back." Ranma-chan jumped out of the way, as Shampoo-neko as she jumped forward, but did not run off. 

"Meow?" 

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"Hey, Ranchan, over here!" 

"Hello, Ucchan," Ranma spun around, a bundle of flowers in hand, "Wow you look great!" 

Ukyou blushed and swung her giant spatula in embarrassment. 

_CLANG!_

"A simple 'Thank you' would have done, Ucchan." Said Ranma, rubbing the back of his head. 

"Gomen." Said Ukyou, bowing her head slightly. 

"That's OK," Ranma grinned, "Come on, or we'll be late." 

"Right!" 

Ranma and Ukyou set off for the cinema. "By the way, how did you get past your _un_cute fiancée?" 

"Oh, I have my ways, Ucchan." Ranma laughed. 

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"Akane? Akane?" said Kasumi, waving a hand in ront of her baby sisters face. "whatever could be wrong?" 

"Mmmmm." Murmured Akane, dumbly. 

"Dunno," said Nabiki, with a sudden smirk, "maybe she saw Ranma in the furo again." 

"_Nabiki!_" 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Ukyou stifled a laugh, "She's gonna kill ya tomorrow." 

Ranma smiled a little wider, "Can't wait for tomorrow." 

They went in and the movie, a martial arts film, Ukyou hated all that lovey-dovey stuff (at least in films), which Ranma had discovered on their previous talks, that only he would remember. 

He felt a little guilty about it, but it was all in the process of getting to know his fiancées better, to truly see if he lo - liked any of them more than just friends. 

Two years ago, or rather to everyone else, yesterday, he would have of complained about how fake the moves were and that half the time it was stunt doubles doing the work, not the actors. 

But after seeing this movie a hundred times or so, he sat back and enjoyed its rather bad jokes. 

"Well, that was a great movie," said Ukyou, idly swinging her giant spatula, unconsciously emulating the moves in the film. "What did you think, Ranchan?" 

"Yeah, it was good, a little fake, but at least the jokes were great." 

"Their pizzas didn't look very appealing though," said Ukyou, frowning slightly, "they really did look sloppily made, they didn't have a smooth edge either-" 

Ukyou went on to describe how she could of done it better, spicing it up a bit with more appealing colours and favours. 

Ranma tried to interject several times, but Ukyou's eyes, by this time, had now completely glazed over, as she entered her dream world of Japanese pizza making. 

He rolled his eyes and considered smacking her over the head with her own spatula. 

Then didn't consider it. 

_CLANG!_

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Akane looked at Ranma as though he had gone mad, but considering what he just said, he probably had. 

"Well," said Ranma, when he did not get a response, "where do you want to go?" 

He's making fun of me, she thought, her anger rising, How dare that - that sex-changing baka do that! 

"**RANMA NO BAKA!**" _SMACK!_

"WHAT Did I sssaaaayyy!!" said Ranma, sailing over the rooftops. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"Look, just hear me out OK, 'Kane," said Ranma, putting his hands up, "this is not some sort of date, we're friends aren't we?" he did not wait for an answer, "so lets just go out as friends, and besides we're in the city centre, so there should be no problems." 

Akane looked at him for a moment, then went over to P-Chan and tucked him tightly under the covers of her bed, so he could not move from his position. 

Then she turned back to Ranma. 

"Alright then, let's go." 

"So, you do know where we're going right?" asked Akane, uncertainly, as they walked down the street. 

"Left, as a matter of fact," said Ranma, with a smile, "and yes, I do." 

"OK, then." 

They arrived at the restaurant that Ranma had chosen, and took their seats at a table he had discovered had the best lighting. They were brought menus and after a few moments of looking over them, Ranma poked his head over his menu to look at Akane. 

"Ready to order?" he asked. 

"No, not yet." Said Akane, testily. 

"Calm down, it's just ordering." 

"I can't understand any of this!" she groused, finally. 

"Well, we can just order the 'dish of the day', if you like, yeah?" said Ranma. 

"OK, I wonder what it is?" she said, looking at the unfamiliar language on the menu. 

"That's the surprise," said Ranma, "isn't it?" 

"What?" said Akane, dangerously. 

"Let's just order, shall we?" sweated Ranma. 

"Alright." Said Akane, calming down. 

"Waiter!" 

They order the 'dish of the day' to discover it was some sort of lobster and rice dish (A/N: is there such a thing? Well there is _NOW!_), Ranma already knew this of course, having been here a few times, even bringing the family with him to enjoy it, where he noted that Akane had also liked it a lot. 

They talked while they ate, Akane being amazed that Ranma was eating at a normal person's rate, rather than his usual gobbling, they chattered about the different types of martial arts and how they were badly portrayed in some films. 

The two martial artists got on better than they had done in two years, or four years in Ranma's case. 

"I had fun tonight, amazing really." Said Akane, smiling. 

"Oh, you sound surprised." Ranma, smiling back. 

"Well, no fiancées, no 'RANMA! PREPARE TO DIE!' or well," she looked embarrassed, "no you being a jerk." 

"I try my best." Ranma grinned. 

"So," she said, moving closer to him, "should we go back up?" 

"Er, sure OK," Ranma smiled, looking into her eyes, "But what about, well you know." 

Akane sighed, it was a happy sigh, "Tonight, I could not care less." 

"Yeah, I guess your right." He turned to the hotel, then crooked his arm, "may I escort you in?" 

She put a hand on his arm, sending a slight tingle through him, "Yes, you may." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Akane managed to get rid of P-Chan, who had snuggled deeply into her pillow, by placing him outside the room that Ranma's dad and her father shared. 

Ranma and Akane talked for a little bit, which would have lead to something, if only - 

"You know something, Akane," said Ranma, with a slight nervous smile, "I've had doubts about this working out, I mean, I know we're engaged and all, but I'd rather have met you in a better way." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, 'he's a couple all by himself'? That really went well with 'want to be friends', didn't it?" 

Akane glared, but did nothing. 

"You know, I'm sorry about that," she said, after a pause, "but what else was I to do, I mean I was being forced to be with someone I didn't know, so I lashed out." 

"You could have 'lashed out' at Pop, or even you own father," said Ranma, seriously, "I was not the one forcing you into anything." 

"So what do we do about it, then?" 

"I dunno." 

"You could get married." Said a voice behind them. 

Both Akane and Ranma leapt apart, turning toward Soun Tendo, a barrier up between them. 

"I can't believe this," said Ranma, with a resigned sigh, "after all I've done to get Akane to this point." 

"What did you say, you Pervert?" growled Akane, cracking her knuckles. 

Ranma sighed again, "Does it really matt -" 

**_BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!BAM!_**

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"... no 'RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!, or, well, you being a jerk." 

Ranma frowned, "What the hell is that meant to mean?" 

Akane glared, "This is what it means, YOU JERK!" 

**_BAM!BAM!BAM!_**

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"That's the surprise, isn't it?" 

"What?" said Akane, annoyed. 

"Oh, come!" said Ranma, panicking, "it's not like I called you uncute, (pause) Oops!" 

**_BAM!BAM!BAM!_**

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"... ready to order?" said Ranma, over his menu. 

"No, not yet." Said Akane, testily. 

"Ok, no need to be like that!" Exclaimed Ranma, putting his menu down. 

"You mean, LIKE THIS!" 

**_BAM!BAM!BAM!_**

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"So, you do know where we're going right?" asked Akane, uncertainly. 

"Left, actually," said Ranma, with a slight smile, "and yes I do, don't worry so much." 

Akane stopped suddenly, "What did you say?" 

_Oh, hell_, thought Ranma, the whistle of Akane's mallet in his ears. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Akane awoke to hear a bucket being smashed over a large panda's head. 

"Feh! Stupid Panda!" 

"Ranma what -" 

"Go back to sleep, Akane," said a female Ranma, tiredly, "it's gonna be a very long day. Believe me, I know it will be." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Next Chapter: Can't Wait For Tomorrow. 

Author's Note (6/9/03): Gomen, Gomen, Gomen, Gomen, Gomen, Gomen, Gomen, Gomen, Gomen, Gomen, sorry for the late update, been having various problems in writing this, so there maybe a few problems within it, which I will go back and re-edit at a later date, however I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are still eager for more. So review and tell me what you think, and I will try and update as soon as I possibly can, time and other things permitting, 

Ja! 

PS, I will update as soon as I can, the statement in the previous chapter is to be ignored, coz I just could not live up to that, but I will try to have another update within the month, but do not hold you're breath. (you may die!!) _\shock!!!/_

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


	7. Can't Wait For Tomorrow

  
Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Ranma ½ , apart from the DVDs, but that's all, unfortunately! 

Chapter Six: Can't Wait For Tomorrow 

…Akane awoke to hear a bucket being smashed over a large panda's head. 

"Feh! Stupid Panda!" 

"Ranma what –" 

"Go back to sleep, Akane," said a female Ranma, tiredly, "it's going to be a very, very long day. Believe me, I know." 

* * *

Mousse watched Shampoo leave, as he finished setting up the cooking equipment in the back, he was not put out in the slightest that they had moved from Nerima to the Capitol, as long as he was near Shampoo, nothing could bother him at all. 

He had wondered why they were upping the business so quickly, he had been almost ecstatic that they were moving away from that 'enemy of women' Saotome, who lorded over his harem, one of which was his love, Shampoo, but they had been moving to go with him. 

Mousse smirked to himself when he found Saotome, he would get his comeuppance, once and for all, and Shampoo would be his to love. After all this was the Chinese New Year. 

* * *

Mousse had followed his beloved, ducking away literally and figuratively from the old monkey mummy and after Shampoo's ringing bell. 

He circled around and spotted his prey, he fluttered down and whipping out a hot kettle and spare robe and trousers, he changed back. He peaked around the corner to see if his enemy had appeared yet. He pulled his glasses off to clean off the specs of dust that made it harder to see properly in the bright sunlight. 

Then he heard a crash and his love's beautiful tones, lifting his heart, "Ni ho!" 

"Shampoo." his hated enemy said, in a rather dead voice, which Mousse took no note of, because he was sure that the fiend loved the fact there were now two women doting on him. 

"Airen!" He heard Shampoo purr, his anger toward Saotome upped several more levels, he cared about Amazon law, not to a vast extent, but enough to know that he had to beat Ranma, and release Shampoo from her duty. 

"I'll just leave you -" started Akane, Saotome's other but seemingly more reluctant fiancée. 

"'Bye, 'bye, violent g –" Started Shampoo, cheerfully. Mousse guessed it was cue now. 

"Will you let go of me, I can't breathe!" 

"Shampoo I love you!" said Mousse leaping at his beloved, holding her in his arms, if Saotome got to do it, why not him, who truly deserved her. Although she was a lot stockier than he last remembered. 

"_EEEK!_" shouted Shampoo, in a very un-Shampoo voice. "Shampoo's behind you, you _PERVERT!_" 

**_WHAM!_**

Mousse appeared in front of Ranma and Shampoo. 

"Saotome, you thief of the heart," spat Mousse, finding a new pair of glasses, "unhand my fair –" 

"You want to fight, Mousse?" interrupted Ranma, his voice seemed to be devoid of all emotion, "of course you do, so now you will have one, but this will not be about Shampoo, this is about _us_, right? No one else is involved, got it? But not here." 

"Fine, I will let you choose the place of your death." Bit out Mousse. 

"Follow me!" Ranma jumped into the air, Mousse followed him closely. 

"RANMA! Where are you going?" shouted Akane. 

"I'll back later!" he shouted back. 

"Airen be back for Shampoo's special surprise, yes?" 

"That won't be likely." Muttered Mousse, grinning as he leapt after Saotome. 

* * *

"Stop running, you COWARD!" shouted Mousse, as he landed on the top of the short building. 

Saotome stopped a few feet from Mousse, his back to him. 

"Well, shall we fight, are you ready to submit, enemy of women?" 

"So we fight," said Saotome, in the same dead voice, "is that all you know what to do, Mousse? We both know the outcome, yet you still persist." 

"I will defeat you, Saotome," declared Mousse, defiantly. 

"Ha," said Ranma, lightly, "I've tried everything," he said, quietly, as if talking to himself, "I've tried to reason with you, tried to be stronger to pummel it into you, I've even resorted to drugging you, but now I've _HAD ENOUGH! THIS IS THE LAST TIME!_" Mousse stared at his enemy's back, shocked, after a moment, Saotome continued bitterly, "I'll tell you straight, Mousse, you can take it or leave it, I don't care about anything now: I don't want anything to do with Shampoo, or Cologne or you, or any of your whole _damned_ tribe. You can keep it –" 

"_NANI?_" Mousse exclaimed, "How dare you?! How dare you cast Shampoo away so casually, you womanising ba –" 

"**_THAT'S IT!_**" shouted Saotome, turning around, "_ENOUGH TALK, PREPARE TO DIE, **DUCK BOY!**_" Saotome jumped into the air, straight for Mousse. 

Mousse stood mermised by the brightest battle aura he had and would ever see in his entire life... 

* * *

…Akane awoke to a bone cracking noise. 

"Stop bothering me, POP!" shouted Ranma. 

Akane looked at the pigtailed martial artist, as he held his father's arm at a rather unnatural angle, while the rest of his body was folded like a badly shaped pritzel. 

Ranma looked up at her, with a blank expression. "'morning." He said. 

* * *

Kuno always prided himself on his kendo abilities, after all was not the finest martial arts form ever conceived, his weapon could only ever be a bokken, maybe a katana against his most deadly of foes, maybe, possibly. 

The Blue Thunder of Furiken High, knew that the bokken would defeat his most deadly and devious of foes. 

Ranma Saotome. 

The wretch knew this, and had attempted escaping Kuno's noble quest to free his loves from Saotome's magical bonds, today was the day he would finally set them free from his vile perverted claws. 

He strode purposefully up a dark alley. Nabiki Tendo, though he hated and detested her selling of information to him for such prices, was useful, and his time to conquer his foe was near. 

He turned a corner, bokken held in both hands. 

"Kuno." Said the pigtailed enemy of women, "Think you take me, do you? Your stick is useless, you've known that since we met, why don't you come at me with your bare hands, or are you too honourless to fight fair?" the Bain of Kuno's life grinned. 

In the recesses of Kuno's warped samurai mind, it managed to note that the grin was more feral than before, before it had been self–assured and cocky, and the eyes, that had burned the same way as that ignorant grin, where blank, almost as if he were dead. 

"Unlike you, Saotome, I am honourable," Kuno smirked, dropping one hand from the bokken, "So, today is the day you brought low, by my bare hands at that." He dropped the bokken. 

Saotome's grin widened, and he leapt into the air, straight at Kuno… 

* * *

"He ate all of it?!" 

"My honourable son, suffering for his fiancée's sake!" 

"Oh my!" 

"He ate ALL OF IT?" 

"My little girl cooked again, what horrors he has faced! WAAHH! HE WANTED TO PLEASE HIS FIANCEE!" 

"HE ATE A _THREE COURSE MEAL OF AKANE'S COOKING_ AND HE ATE _ALL OF IT!!_" 

"It's an interesting shade of green." commented Kasumi, with a strained smile. 

The shuddering mass, that resided was covered by several duvets and blankets, the pigtail limp on the pillows, while several buckets had been positioned strategically around the bed, even in the corners of the room (in case of projectile vomiting), although Akane's cooking was known to cause severe stomach ache, anything was possible with a full meal. 

Suddenly the shuddering mass leaped from the bed and stuck its head in a bucket, making horrid retching noises and then another, as the first was full, and continued for quiet some time. 

"I think we are going to need a few more buckets." Commented Kasumi, pleasantly, picking up the phone. 

"Ewww!" exclaimed Nabiki, wincing, "he _did_ eat **ALL OF IT!!**" 

* * *

Ryouga stood before his most hated enemy, it was a moment he had been waiting for, once he had managed to get away from Akane's loving arms and turn back without her knowing. 

But as with all things in his life, this was kind of a let down, Ranma was not in his usual battle stance he took against Ryouga. Sure, he never looked like he was in a battle stance when he was in a fight, the way he sometimes stood there as though he was just passing the time, but Ryouga knew that was a fake. This stance, however, was not his usual stance. 

It was as if he was depressed, but how could that be? That's not possible, although Ryouga had made it his life's work to make it possible. Could it have finally of happened? His prays answered at last? 

"Cowardly bastard!" he roared, aiming to impale Ranma on his umbrella, "fight me properly. 'Fraid you'll lose Akane to me, if you fight for real." 

Ranma deftly dodged the strike, as though he had seen it coming a mile off, Ryouga tried to alter his trajectory, but found that Ranma had somehow accounted for that as well. 

_How could Ranma be predicting my moves?_ He thought, as Ranma sent a punch to his side of his head, breaking his nose and held his head in a tight arm lock. 

"I could very easily beat you into jelly, Ryouga," hissed Ranma into his ear, "but today, your luck is in." he smirked, in scary imitation of Nabiki. "Because today, kids, we are going for a _little_ drive!" 

Ryouga looked into Ranma's eyes, and what he saw there stopped the flow of blood from coming out of his broken nose. 

* * *

"YOU'RE _STUPID!_" 

"Really!" 

"YOU'RE _MAD!_" 

"You don't say!" 

"YOU'RE _INSANE!_" 

"All these compliments!" Laughed the pigtailed maniac at the wheel, "Look at me I'm blushing!!" 

"_**YOU'RE ALL OF IT AND MORE!!**_" yelled Ryouga, he would have lunged for the steering wheel, smashed Ranma's face with his fists, anything if Ranma had not knocked him cold and tied him up in various bits of chain and rope, including the seatbelt. "_**STOP THIS CAR AT ONCE!**_" 

"Yer know somethin', Pig boy?" said Ranma suddenly, horribly calm, as they roared through traffic, the wrong way, "All my life I've been told what to do, 'Be a great martial artist!', 'Become a 'man amongst men'', 'Prepare to die!' and also 'Be kind to you're psycho fiancée' Well, shall I tell you what I think of all that, shall I?" He growled, "FEH! That's what I think! FEH! FEH! FEH!" he turned to a stunned Ryouga, then suddenly smiled manically again, "Say, would you like a turn at the wheel!? You would, great!!" 

Ryouga watched in fascinated horror as Ranma ripped the steering wheel from the dash and put it in his lap. 

"You insane loony! What the hell are you –" 

_SPLASH!_

"There you go, Ryouga," said Ranma, grinning madly, "I hate to alarm you, but I cut the brake line before we set off, hope that's not a problem for yer, heh-heh!" 

"BWEEE!" 

Ryouga tried to turn the wheel, which was still more or less attached to the wiring of the car, but it was in vain as the car smashed through a side–alleyway and through the trash. 

"Lucky there's barely any traffic eh?" grinned Ranma, his arms folded like he did not have a care in the world, "Oops, forgot about that truck." 

_WHAT TRUCK!?!_ Ryouga mentally screamed. 

Then he saw it, just as it slammed into Ranma's side of the car, crushing it inward. 

Ryouga last thought was: _When did Ranma learn how to drive?_

* * *

…Akane awoke to the sound of smashing glass. 

"I SAID, STOP _BOTHERING ME_, DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND JAPANESE!!" 

She looked over to see Ranma standing at a broken window. Akane ran over, dropping P–Chan to the bed, and looked out the window to see a wet panda hanging onto the fire–escape below, holding onto the bending railing with one hand, while holding a sign with the other, above a three hundred foot drop. 

{Someone help me! My son has gone INSANE!!!} 

* * *

Kasumi had finished setting the table, with the breakfast that had been sent up by the nice hotel waiters. It felt good not to cook for once. 

Since they had set up in the bigger rooms, which was occupied by Genma and Soun, her father was already at the table, reading the paper that had been brought up with the meal, while Genma had gone off to wake – 

A horrendous scream of pain shook the room. 

Soun looked over at the door, considering whether it was a good idea or not, to see what was going on. 

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Kasumi, gently, "that sounded like Uncle Saotome, father." 

"Indeed." Said Soun, still weighing his options. 

After a minute of silence, there was a knock at the door. Kasumi answered it to find a male Ranma there, in his pyjamas. 

"'Morning." He said dully. 

"Ranma-kun, good morning," said Kasumi, politely, "did you –" 

"Do you have a toaster?" he asked, brushing past her. 

"Nani?" 

"Nevermind," Ranma took the item off the table, and turned to leave. 

"What was that noise earlier, son?" asked Soun, as Ranma was half way out of the door. 

"Oh that was just Pop," said Ranma, without any tone to his voice, "nothing important." He closed the door quietly behind him. 

"Oh my." Said Kasumi, faintly. 

"Odd," said Soun, after a moment, his paper forgotten, "I wonder what that toaster was for?" 

After another short silence, the lights flickered. 

"Oh my." 

"Indeed." 

* * *

...Akane awoke to someone tugging at her arms. 

"Excuse me a second, Akane," said Ranma, holding P-Chan up by his bandana, "just need to borrow P-Chan." 

"For what?" asked Akane, indigently. 

"Just this." said Ranma, calmly, and drop kicked P-Chan, into a soaked Panda that just been recovering for injuries. 

Then had to deal with a set of new injuries, as it was punched back through a window and then down into the street with a rather annoyed black piglet. 

* * *

Next Chapter: Resolutions of Ranma. 

Author's Note (19/1/04): Another chappie done at last! (Everyone cheers!!). I've got a lot of problems with this, in fact I'm having problems with this entire fic. It's kinda run around in circles in my head and I'm about half way through the story, but I will not abandon it, at least I shall try not to. However, it maybe some time before I can get back to this again, so don't expect regular updates, but keep reviewing, this keeps me going… 

Also, I have finally gotten the nerve to put up my e-mail address on my bio, which has also been updated, so check it out, but don't all send at once ;). 

* * *

Here is where I decided to answer some of reviews from the previous chapter, because I think these ones need replies: –   
  
TetsuoTsubushi (2003-09-24)   
Darn has it been that long? I'm glad that you liked it Tetsuo and are still interested in the story, and also that you have enjoyed this fic which has kinda changed from what I had originally intended, but all for the better.   
  
dogbertcarroll (2003-09-16)  
  
REWRITE!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Ok, I have to agree with you on the point that the coverage was a little sketchy, I had intended that, because Ranma will discover more things along the way, also that chapter was for the fiancees, but don't worry the Tendos and the Chinese gang and the other characters ideas on the situation will be presented in time.   
  
Sanosuke (2003-09-10)  
  
Yes, that's right, he's been in the time loop for two years, and I've said that they knew each other two years previously, I have not really decided where on the Ranma timeline this is, I started this before I saw the later series of the anime (where I had only seen the first two series), so it's around that sort of time, but I've kept references of what previous happen out of the story. I've shown him growing up a bit, with his speech getting a bit better, but he has not really needed to use the character's quirks against them yet.   
  
pspinler (2003-09-09)  
Thanks for the praise, this was easy to start, but I'm finding it harder to maintain with the other ideas that in my head at the moment. I'm glad you liked my characters, I wasn't sure if they were taking up to much of the story, so I shall not let them run riot (well at least not too much! ;-) )  
  
  
Sanosuke (2003-09-08)  
You are aware you sent this in several times, aren't you?   
  
goku (2003-09-08)   
Ranma will be visiting a few places outside of the city, dunno where yet. And to who he ends up with, well you'll just have to wait and see.   
  
vizeerlord (2003-09-07)  
It's great you want more, but more what, violence? Romance? Comedy? Or shall I take it that you want all three?   
  



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